


The Real Percival Graves

by Wendijok



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-04-25 13:22:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14379540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wendijok/pseuds/Wendijok
Summary: You stumble across an injured man with no memory of who he is or how he got so close to your home.Once his memories start to return, you realize that this is SO much more complicated than you ever could imagine.Too bad you’re already in love with him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My head is so full of ideas and stories right now. I’ll be splitting my time between this and two other stories. Thanks for reading!!

The Real Percival Graves

It’s amazing how quickly a day that is so ordinary, so regular, so... nothing, can turn into a day that changes your life completely. 

You rode your bike through the small town you live in, a smile on your face as the breeze blows through your hair. 

Delivering mail wasn’t your dream job, but it definitely had its perks. Being outside in the fresh air, and everyone smiling and waving as you dropped off their much anticipated letter, or package, or whatever it was they had been waiting for. 

Of course there were drawbacks too. Wintertime wasn’t a picnic, and the smiles and waves usually came along with the sadness and pity for you that was held in everyone’s eyes. 

You wonder to yourself who was it that decided a woman was to be pitied when she turned thirty and wasn’t married? You hated that guy. 

You were happy, and content, living in the beautiful two story Victorian home you had been raised in. 

Both of your parents passed away a few years before. Your only brother had decided to get on a boat to England for a trip, met a girl there and decided to stay. 

So it was just you living in the big house on the outskirts of town. But you had your pets, and of course your garden. 

Much of your property had once been farm land, but you had no desire to live that life. So you took the job with the post office and turned your farm into the most beautiful oasis within a hundred miles. 

As you rode past the sign thanking you for visiting the small town, you smiled. Today had been a good day. 

Not one person asked you if you had plans on “moving to the city to find a husband”, so that was a win. 

Although your town was only a few hours from New York, it was a world away from the bustling noise the city had become in the few years since you last visited. 

Truth be told, you longed for another visit, but it just wasn’t very realistic given your circumstances. 

No, it was okay. You were...content here. At least for now. 

The houses thinned out, and you climbed from your bike to walk it down the bumpy dirt road that led to your house in the distance. 

The vegetation grew thicker, the trees got closer together and you sighed as you walked through the small forest that bordered your property. 

This was your favorite part of your walk. It was so peaceful and quiet. Other than the sound of birds, and small animals scurrying through the undergrowth. 

You looked around as you moved through the trees, every one of them a familiar sight. And then you saw something on your left, that definitely wasn’t familiar. 

It was stark white against the darkened background. And it looked like...a piece of clothing maybe?

You put the stand down on your bike, raised your black work skirt a bit, and made your way through the trees. 

You gasped and clamped your hand over your mouth to stop yourself from screaming when you got close enough to see. It was a body. 

Your heart pounded in your chest. You weren’t sure what to do, run to find help? Try and identify the man?

You took another shaky step forward, his face was so brutally beaten he was unrecognizable. To you anyway. 

He was covered in blood, and his clothes were torn and filthy. 

“What do I do?” You spoke quietly to yourself, and he made a small noise that almost made you jump out of your skin. 

He was alive! How can someone look like that, and still be breathing?

Your instincts to get help were squashed by your need to check on him yourself. 

You moved forward and knelt down carefully next to him, placing two of your fingers on his neck. 

His pulse was shallow, but still there and you let go of the breath you had been holding. He really was alive. 

His hair was long and dark on the top, and he was graying at his sideburns. You brushed the stray hair from his eyes, trying to get a better look at his face. 

Well, what was left of his face anyway. 

“Are you.... are you okay?” Dear Lord, what a stupid question of course he wasn’t okay. 

His left eye opened a bit, his right eye swollen completely shut. And he moaned slightly. 

“Can you speak? What is your name? Who should I call for help, do you have a family?” You laid a hand on his hand, and were surprised when he twisted his wrist to grasp your fingers. 

“Please..” He whispered. “Please don’t leave me.” And he passed out cold. 

You sat there for quite a while, his hand still lightly grasping your fingers while you softly ran your free hand through his hair trying to comfort him. 

You took a closer look at his face, and wondered what he looked like under all the swelling, bruising and dried blood. 

He was wearing black slacks and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It was torn in multiple places, and half the buttons were missing. This clothing was of very good quality, and you assumed was once part of a very expensive suit. 

Whoever he was, he had money. And you were sure someone had to be missing him. 

You ran your hand through his hair one more time and spoke softly. “Sir? Can you please wake up.” 

At this point you were afraid he was going to die right here in your arms. 

His good eye fluttered open again, it was dark. So dark you had a hard time distinguishing it from his pupil.

It looked like he tried to smile a little at you. But it just turned into a grimace of pain. 

He sucked in his breath carefully, broken ribs you assumed. “You stayed.” He said softly. 

You nodded at him, “of course I did, I’m not going to just leave you here.”

“Are you an angel? Have I finally given up the ghost?” His voice was a bit stronger and this time you definitely saw the hint of a smile. 

“I don’t mean to offend you, but if this IS heaven, you look like hell.” You smiled back at him. 

He wheezed a chuckle and grunted with pain, squeezing your hand. 

“Don’t make me laugh. It’s torture. Maybe this is hell.” He groaned and tried to sit up. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t...” you started saying, but he glanced at you with an expression that warned you not to argue with him. 

He used your hand as leverage, and you placed your other hand on his back. He managed to sit up a bit, although you were pretty sure if you let go, he would fall right back down again. 

“We need to get you somewhere safe. And warm,” You shivered as the sun was setting and a breeze had picked up. 

“Can you stand? Is anything broken?”

“Other than my pride, and what feels like a few ribs? I don’t think so.”

It took a while, but you managed to get him on his feet. His right arm was around your shoulder, and you held tightly to his waist to help him move. 

“My house is just up this road a little ways. Think you can walk?”

He nodded, with a wince and took a couple of steps forward. It was slow going, and eventually you’d have to go back out and get your bike, but you made it inside and placed him on the bed in your guest room that was just off the entry way. 

He laid back down with a grunt. “Thank you.”

You stood next to the bed, wondering what to do now. 

“Sir, who can I contact? I’m sure your family is missing you.” You glanced at his left hand, and saw no ring, but that didn’t mean that someone wasn’t searching for him. 

His brow furrowed a bit, “I... I don’t know.”

“You don’t know how to get in contact with your family? I have a telephone, do you know any numbers? What’s your name?”

He shook his head again, “I don’t know. I’m sorry miss, but I seem to have no memory of where I came from or what happened to me. I...I can’t even remember my own name.”

He was starting to look a bit panicked now. You went to his side, and took his hand again. “It’s okay. I’m sure your memory will return, it’s probably your head injuries. If it’s okay with you, I’ll help you clean your wounds, then we can better see what we are dealing with and whether or not I need to go get a doctor.”

He grabbed your wrist with his other hand, and had fear in his eyes. “No, you can’t tell anyone I’m here. It’s too dangerous.”

You were confused, and a little more nervous now. “What do you mean? I thought you didn’t remember anything?”

His expression matched your own, and he let go of you. “I’m not sure. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I said that. It was instinctive. Maybe I should leave, if I’ve done something wrong I don’t want to put you in any danger.” 

He tried to sit up again, but cried out in pain an anguished look on his face. 

“No, stop.” You put a hand gently on his chest laying him back down. “I’m a big girl, and can take care of myself. For now, we will keep your little visit here between us. Now I am going to go and get some things to clean you up and some bandages. And then some food.”

He was so thin, as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks. 

“I don’t know how to thank you.” He said quietly, his eye drifting closed again. 

You smiled down at him, “you can start by not dying in my guest room.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

You gathered supplies as quickly as you could. Including a gas lamp. Your house was one of the few in the town that actually had electricity, but you knew the wall sconces would not be bright enough after the sun had set. 

You dropped everything at the side of the bed, and took a large basin into the attached bathroom to get some warm water. 

His breathing had calmed, and he appeared to be sleeping. You hated to wake him, so you carefully wet a towel and gently wiped his hand that was closest to you. 

He didn’t stir, so you softly picked it up and wiped the dried blood and dirt away. 

His hands were soft, no sign of callouses. His fingers were long, and elegant his nails looked to have been well manicured. Whatever this man did for work, it wasn’t anywhere in this town. 

“Hello.”

His voice was raspy, and quiet. 

“Hey,” you respond, quickly realizing he was watching you, and you were still holding his hand. 

You stood quickly, reaching for a glass you had placed on the nightstand while he was asleep. “I brought you some water. I think you should try and drink some. And maybe eat some food if you’re feeling up to it.”

He nodded, and reached for you. “Can you help me sit up?”

You grab extra pillows and place behind him. Once he was comfortable as you could make him you helped him drink some water. 

And he watches you again carefully as you clean the blood from his face. 

You brush his hair softly from his forehead, and try not to be distracted by his dark eye gazing at you. 

“Why are you doing this?” He says. “Why are you helping me?”

You shrug, “I guess over time I’ve just made a habit of saving people who were dying on my property.”

Even with only one open, you can see him roll his eyes. 

You finished cleaning his face, and realized the next part of this was going to be rough. 

“We need to wrap your rib cage, and make sure you don’t have any other injuries that need attention. You will have to stand so I can get your shirt off.”

“Tell me y/n, are you trying to get me to take my clothes off? Because you only need to ask nicely.” 

You felt the heat rise to your face, and you shook your head in exasperation. “Come on.” You say as you reach out to pull him up. He grimaced, but sat forward and you helped him to his feet. 

Your hands were shaky as you undid the remaining buttons on his ruined shirt, and pushed it carefully up over his shoulders. 

You swallowed visibly as you ran your eyes over his broad shoulders, and toned chest. You closed your eyes for just a second to refocus yourself. 

He was bruised pretty severely down one side, but you didn’t see any open wounds on his torso. You continued to tremble as you used the cloth to gently clean the skin on his chest and back. 

He kept his eyes closed the whole time, gritting his teeth, his brow furrowed. 

“This is probably going to hurt. I’m sorry.” You remembered back to when you were a teenager and your brother fell from a tree. Your mother wrapped his ribs, and you watched as he cried in pain the entire time. 

He raised his arms, and you started to wrap his torso starting just above his waist. Your arms went around him again and again and his breathing was labored, but to his credit he didn’t make a sound. 

“I brought you this.” You held up a shirt you had taken from your brother’s closet, and he slipped his arms inside. 

You got him comfortable again, and he was able to eat a bit. You ended the long night by chipping some ice into a towel and holding it softly against his face. 

“This should bring down the swelling a bit. Hopefully tomorrow you’ll be able to open both eyes.”

“All the better to see you with my dear.” He said, one side of his lips lifting into a smile. 

“Cheeky.” You responded, but the butterflies in your stomach at the sound of his raspy voice were unmistakable. 

He reached up, and placed his hand over yours, holding the ice on his face. “I can do this. You should get some rest.” 

“I think we both can use a lot of that.” You yawned just thinking about it. Thank goodness tomorrow was Sunday, and you didn’t have to go to work. 

You moved your hand, and pushed his hair back one more time, feeling far more comfortable doing it than you probably should have. I guess going through trauma together makes people quick friends, you thought to yourself. 

“Is there anything else you need tonight?” You asked, pulling a blanket over him. 

“No, and I don’t even know where to begin to thank you for saving my life. I owe you... everything.”

You smiled as you moved toward the door. “I’ll leave this open. If you need anything, just call me. I’ll hear you.”

He nodded, but the ice was already sitting on the bed as he fought to stay awake. 

You walked back over and grabbed it so it didn’t melt all over the bed. 

He was already asleep. “Goodnight.” You whispered. And then you went to your room and cried.


	3. Chapter 3

Your eyes popped open, but you weren’t sure why. You laid there for a moment in the darkness, a bit confused as to why you woke so early. And then you heard it. 

Noise from downstairs. You jumped from your bed, wrapping a dressing gown around yourself and ran down the stairs as fast as you could. 

When you entered the room he was on his side, moaning in pain and whimpering. “Please. Please let me go. I’ll tell no one.”

You rushed to the bed, kneeling down next to him. “It’s okay.” You whisper, smoothing his hair off his face and taking his hand. “You’re safe now. No one is going to hurt you here.” 

You speak quiet peaceful words, as you run your fingers through his hair and squeeze his hand. 

He finally wakes with a startled cry and sits straight up. Which in turn causes him to cry out in pain. 

“It’s okay, it’s just me.” You say, sitting on the edge of the bed facing him. 

He stays sitting up, his breathing shallow and labored. 

“I. I’m so sorry.” He raises a shaky hand to his face. “I guess I was having a nightmare.” His face and chest were covered in the sheen of sweat, and he wiped it from his eyes as carefully as he could. 

A nightmare? It sounded more like torture to you. “Let me get you some water, I’ll be right back.”

He gave you a nod, and you rushed to the kitchen. You grabbed a new ice pack while you were in there. His skin felt too warm to your touch. 

You were still shaking a bit as you came back in the room, and you couldn’t help but notice that he was as well. 

You passed him the glass and he drained it entirely. You then gave him the ice pack and stacked pillows behind him so he could recline comfortably. 

He held the ice pack to his face, and closed his eyes. 

“Do you want more water?” You asked, not sure what to do with yourself. 

He shook his head. “No, thank you I think I’m alright.”

You twiddle your fingers, wondering if you should ask. Your curious nature gets the best of you. “You were talking in your sleep when I got here. Do you remember anything?”

He shook his head, “no. What did I say?”

You suddenly wondered if this was a good idea. You had no idea if this would be upsetting to him. You bit your bottom lip. 

“Well? Out with it.” He said in a serious tone, his voice low and gravely. And you instantly sensed that he was used to wielding power over people. 

You were unsure, however, how you felt about the way it made your toes curl and warmth spread from your stomach. 

“Well, uh you said ‘please let me go’ and then I believe you added something about not telling anyone.” You swallowed visibly as his dark gaze never left yours. 

He nodded slowly. “So wherever I was, I was obviously not staying in someone’s beautiful guest room.” He then lifted the one side of his lips and one eyebrow that weren’t covered by the ice pack. 

Your legs felt a little wobbly, and your only thought was to wonder what the hell was wrong with you.

You glanced out the window, trying to escape the dark depth of his eyes. 

The sun was coming up, and you suddenly remembered that your bike was still sitting out in the middle of the road. 

“Would you be okay if I go out and get my bike? I’ll only be a few minutes.”

He smiled again, this one was a little less flirty than the last one he gave you, but still didn’t help your situation . “Of course.” He replied. “I’m sorry to displace your regular schedule so spectacularly.”

You chuckle, “well what’s life without a little excitement, right?” You hated that your voice was just a bit shaky. You tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear and nodded at him. 

You left the room and saw him lean back and close his eyes. 

You changed clothes and put on a jacket, checking in on him one more time before heading out. 

It was chilly, but not cold. And by the time you reached the spot you left the bicycle, the sun had risen and was shining through the trees. 

Your feet took you into the forest before you could stop yourself. You crouched down in the very spot you found him. 

There was blood on nearby foliage and the grass was crushed, but those weren’t the only sign of him being there. 

You caught site of something shiny that caught the sunlight. You moved forward, and carefully shifted the grass picking up what you recognized as a cuff link. 

You lifted it to your eyes, it was gold, and they weight of it assured you it was real. You turned it over and saw something that made your heart speed up. The letters PG were beautifully engraved with what looked like a snake wrapping around them. 

If it was his, which it had to be right? If it was his, it was a large clue to his identity as you assumed these were his initials. 

You rushed back, and hurried into the room clutching in your fist. 

“I found something.” You said without even thinking about checking whether or not he was asleep. 

Fortunately he wasn’t. He opened his eyes, “what is it?”

You held out your fist and dropped your find into his hand. “Is it yours? Do you recognize it?”

He looked at it closely, his brow furrowed a bit. “Maybe.” He held it up, “PG, think that’s me?”

You nod, “I think it’s s possibility. It’s a starting point anyway. I mean how many names could there be that start with P? Phillip? Peter?”

He added a silly made up name to the list, and you responded with something equally terrible.

You each took turns throwing out names that were even more ridiculous than the last. 

“Phineas.” You say, and he tries so hard not to laugh holding his bruised broken side. 

“I hope it’s nothing as ridiculous as most of these names.”

You shrugged, “I think you could pull it off.” You immediately felt your face flush red as his expression changed a bit and he looked at you again with that piercing gaze. As if he was simultaneously trying to figure you out, and yet trying to tell you that he knew exactly who you were. 

You cleared your throat a bit, “let’s see that other eye, shall we?” You reached for the ice pack and were glad to see the swelling had receded quite a bit. 

He was able to open it a bit and blinked it a few times. He was still bruised and a bit puffy, but when he looked at you with both eyes your breath caught. You had begun to notice he was attractive, but now you realized he was down right beautiful. 

“Well?” You ask, wondering how much pain there is. 

He tilted his head a bit, “I was right. It is better to be able to look at you with both eyes.”

You blushed again, and shook your head. There was no more guessing, he knew EXACTLY what he was doing to you. In fact, you were quite certain he probably used his flirtatious yet commanding personality on others to get exactly what he wanted from them. 

And you were also positive that it most certainly worked.


	4. Chapter 4

You went to make something more substantial for him to eat. Leaving him with a large leather bound copy of Shakespeare’s most famous works. 

You came back with food to find him laying back, eyes closed and the book open on his chest. 

He grunted and sat up a bit as you stood next to him with his sandwich. 

“Too tired?” You asked, as you placed the tray on his lap once he was comfortable. 

He shook his head, “no, just a bit of a headache for some reason. He smiled as you handed him a napkin. 

“Thank you.” He said and you smiled. 

“You’re welcome.”

You turned to leave, but his voice stopped you. “Would you mind?”

You turned to see him holding the book toward you. 

“You..you want me to read it to you?” Your face flushed, as you took the large book from his hand. 

“Please, if that’s okay.” He added, not wanting to make you uncomfortable. 

You sat in a chair in the corner of the room, opening the book to the page he left off on. 

“Much Ado About Nothing?” You ask, raising an eyebrow in surprise. 

He chewed for a moment and raised a hand to cover his mouth, “yes. That surprises you?”

You shrug, “I guess I just figured you more for a Hamlet or Macbeth kind of guy.”

He chuckled at that. “I think I’ve had enough of tragedy for a while. Besides Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite. Which is just a small piece of the absolutely useless information I actually DO remember.” 

He growled the last sentence with frustration. 

“I’m sure the memories will return in time. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself.”

You started to read as he continued eating. At first you felt a little foolish, you’d never read out loud to anyone, but once you got into the story it grew easier. 

The tale was your favorite as well. You’d read it many times, and it was enjoyable to express the emotions of the characters as you went. 

When you saw him starting to doze off you got up and went to take the tray from his lap. 

He grabbed your wrist before you could lift it completely. 

He looked deeply into your eyes, his dark eyes holding a bit of humor. “Are you a Beatrice or a Hero?”

“I’m sorry?” You asked, feeling the heat from his hand spreading up your arm from where he held onto you. 

“Are you a denier of love, or a romantic?” He was flirting with you, and you both knew it. 

You felt your face flush, and you avoided his gaze for a moment, not quite sure how to reply. And then you met his eyes with confidence. 

“I haven’t decided yet Mystery Man, perhaps your behavior will play a part in helping me choose which side of the fence I fall on.”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise and intrigue and you smiled as you took the tray and left the room. 

The rest of the day was a blur. You talked for hours, which was strange considering he still had no idea who he really was. 

But it didn’t stop the two of you from speculating. “I’m going with banker.” You replied to his previous ridiculous guess that he was some sort of spy. 

“But that’s so....boring.” He threw his hands in the air. “If I’m a banker, then why on God’s green earth was I beaten and left for dead in your front garden?”

You nodded at his point, but leaned forward on your chair pointing a finger at him, “but your clothes! They look incredibly expensive and I’ve never seen anything like those cuff links. They were obviously made specifically just for you. Wherever you came from you left behind a lot of money.”

He considered this carefully, his dark brows drawn together as if he could just think hard enough, the memories would return. “What if??....” he paused and you looked at him in question. 

He visibly swallowed before continuing, “what if I’m someone dangerous?” He looked at you with eyes that displayed concern. “If someone comes looking for me, you could be...”

You didn’t let him finish. You could see the fatigue growing in him, so you got to your feet and walked over to the bed and laid a blanket over his legs. “Well, whoever you WERE means little. I think you’re charming despite your slight crankiness, and you seem like a pleasant person to spend time with.”

“Thank you.” He replied, and you enjoyed watching him be the one to blush for once. 

“Besides, I already told you I can take care of myself. So if the bad guys do come knocking, well, let’s just say they will regret it.”

You left the room and could feel his curious gaze as you turned out the lights and went upstairs. 

You were getting ready to leave him the following morning to go to work. But not until asking about thirteen times if he was sure he was going to be okay without you. 

“I’m fine, really. Stop fussing woman, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself for a few hours.” His brow furrowed in frustration. 

“Are you though?” You smirked a bit, and he growled at you under his breath. 

“You really are used to getting your own way.” You stated, for in your mind there was no question. 

“Perhaps. Or, perhaps after two days of you telling me what to do I have decided to take a stand against your tyranny.” He growled these words too, but you sensed no seriousness in them. 

“Ohhh, my apologies my lord,” you bowed deeply and exaggeratedly at the waist. 

When you stood again, he couldn’t stop the smile, so he covered it with his hand instead, and then pinched the bridge of his nose wincing in pain slightly. 

“I’m going to stop and get some medicine for your wounds.” You said in all seriousness. “Hopefully something that will help with the pain.” 

You knew he felt far more pain than he admitted to. You saw it etched in his expression every time he had to get up to go to the wash room. 

He nodded, and you were glad he didn’t argue with you. 

“Would it be too much for me to ask another request?”

“Whatever you need,” you respond almost too quickly. You blushed, a little embarrassed at your attentiveness. 

“I would love to bathe and shave all of this off of my face.” He reached up and ran his hand through his growing beard. “Could you get me some supplies?” 

You nodded, but found yourself just a tiny bit disappointed. Frankly, you found his beard incredibly sexy, and despite your best efforts, had imagined how it might feel against your soft skin. 

“Of course, I’ll see you in a few hours.” You dropped your eyes, and rushed from the room. Suddenly overcome with embarrassment by the thoughts going through your head. 

Thoughts that you couldn’t escape for the hours you tried to focus on work. You knew he was most likely fine, but you had a knot in the pit of your stomach every time you envisioned him falling and lying helpless on the floor. 

And your skin grew warm, the pit in your stomach turning to butterflies when you thought of the sound of his voice. How when he was frustrated or grumpy you swear you can hear the hint of an Irish accent. Or how his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Good lord, you needed to pull it together. 

You finally finished your work, and made your last stop the apothecary. 

You gathered the things you needed, and the things you thought he might need, and after a strange look from the boy at the counter at all the men’s shaving supplies, you muttered something about it being a gift to send to your brother and left as quickly as you could. 

You rushed into the house, and once you saw him safely laying where you had left him with a book in his hands, you finally took a deep breath of relief. 

“I brought the things you requested.” You shouted from the parlor as you took your coat off and hung it up. 

You heard a muffled thank you, as you went into the kitchen to get him something to eat. He was probably starving. 

You returned with a brown bag and a tray of food, and your heart skipped a little at the smile he gave you as you entered the room. 

“Bless you woman. It’s like you read minds.”

You chuckled a little at that, and for a second you wished you could do just that. You couldn’t help but consider what he thought of you. 

He ate and you talked about your day. You couldn’t help but think this had to be boring for him, but he had the courtesy to look interested. 

When he was finished, he looked through the bag of things you got for him. “Well done, this should be everything I need.”

You helped him to his feet, and when he was standing confidently in front of the sink he began to undo the buttons on the shirt you gave him. Your instinct was to leave, or at least look away, but instead you found yourself standing behind him watching in the mirror. 

He glanced at you, and you quickly looked away, but not quick enough. “Help me take this off?” He said gently, and you reached shaky hands up and slid the shirt off him toward you. 

Your breath caught in your throat and you couldn’t help the audible gasp that escaped your lips. 

“What?” He asked seeing the surprise on your face. He tried looking over his own shoulder, but winced in pain as he did so. 

You couldn’t stop yourself, you tried, but you couldn’t do it. You raised a hand up and gently ran your fingers over the most beautiful tattoo you’d ever seen. 

It was on the back of his left shoulder, and it was relatively small which is why you missed it the first time. “It’s a tattoo.” You finally responded as the concerned look on his face was growing. 

“Oh that,” he waved a hand as if it was no big deal. 

“It looks like it’s moving,” you couldn’t take your eyes off of it, running a fingertip over it and noticing goosebumps rise on his body at your touch, but being too distracted to be embarrassed about it. 

It was some sort of winged creature. Blacker than any ink you had ever seen before, but it’s eyes, those were yellow and it seemed like it was looking right at you. “Is it a dragon?” 

He was staring at you in the mirror, and when you met his eyes he looked down at the bag he carried and started taking things out. 

He nodded, “It’s a Hungarian Horntail. I got it after I graduated.”

He said it so casually, that you realized two things, first he remembered something without even realizing it. 

And second, Hungarian Horntail? What the hell was a Hungarian Horntail?


	5. Chapter 5

For a split second you almost asked the obvious question, but you stopped yourself and instead you asked, “how do you spell your first name again?”

He had just started to put shaving lotion on his face and he glanced at you quickly. “P-e-r-c-i-v-a-l.”

He did it without even thinking, “what about your last name?” You added quickly while you had his attention. 

“G...” he started and then his brows furrowed. “I... I’m not sure. Wait, did I just spell my name for you?”

You smiled, “you absolutely did Percival. Along with the information that you have some sort of Hungarian dragon tattooed on your shoulder.”

He shook his head, “unbelievable. How did you do it?”

You shrugged, “I didn’t do anything.” But then you realized, that maybe that wasn’t entirely true. 

He had been distracted while you were running your hand over his skin. You remembered the goosebumps that raised under your fingertips. But you certainly weren’t going to take credit for anything. 

He smiled back at you, “Well then you must just be my lucky charm.”

You just stared at each other in the mirror for what felt like minutes even though it was barely seconds. 

“I’ll give you some privacy. Call me if you need anything, or when your done and I’ll help you rewrap your ribs and put the new ointment on your face. If you want help of course.” You added quickly not wanting to be too presumptuous. 

“Thank you Lucky Charm. Some assistance would be appreciated.”

“Any time Percival.” You winked as you closed the door behind yourself. 

You didn’t want to go too far, since you weren’t sure exactly how long he might be. So you stripped the bedding and put a clean set on, and then tidied up the room a bit. 

You heard the water filling the tub and found yourself listening at the door when it stopped. Only to make sure he was okay, you kept telling yourself. 

You heard him moan in pain, and you couldn’t stop yourself. “Are you okay?”

He grunted again, and then chuckled. “Merlin’s beard woman, do you have your ear up against the door or something?”

You looked down at your feet, unable to keep a smile from forming on your lips. He said the strangest things sometimes. 

“Maybe?” You responded. “I just don’t want you to hurt yourself any further.” You gave the excuse you kept using in your own mind. 

“Well,” he gave another small grunt and you heard water sloshing. “It wasn’t the most pleasant thing in the world, but I am perfectly safe and currently I feel better than I have in.... Well I guess I don’t remember.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” You responded with a smile. “I’m going to go upstairs and find you some clean clothes.”

“Okay,” you turned to walk away, but his voice stopped you. “You’re coming right back, yes?”

You laid a hand on the door, “yes. I’ll only be a few moments.” You couldn’t help but notice how your heart skipped a bit as he quietly thanked you. 

You hurried upstairs to your brother’s room and found a clean white shirt, and some black pants you thought might be a little long and big in the waist, considering how thin he was. Hopefully they would be comfortable enough for him. 

You also, despite the fact that you felt a bit like a snoop, searched your brother’s dresser knowing he always had new socks and underclothes hidden away for when he came home to visit. 

You made your way back down stairs. “I’m back,” you said softly at the door. 

“I just managed to climb out, the towel you left me?”

“It’s hanging on a hook near the door.” You replied. “I have some fresh clothes for you.”

You jumped back a bit in surprise as he opened the door and you seemed to startle him as well since he didn’t expect you to be just on the other side. 

He stood there with a towel around his waist, and you could do nothing but nod as he took the stack of clothes you held out to him. 

He closed the door, and you stood there motionless, your heart pounding in your chest. It was impossible, how could someone with half their face covered in purple and yellow bruises possibly be that beautiful? 

You shook your head, trying to clear the cobwebs that somehow managed to fill your brain. But as soon as he opened the door again, you knew you were in trouble. 

You started at his bare feet, your eyes scanning up his body. You were right about the pants, they pooled a bit at the bottom and rode low on his waist. 

He wasn’t wearing a shirt yet, and you couldn’t stop yourself from ogling the way his hip bones protruded a bit, and how broad his chest was. And then you got to his face, and you had to remind yourself to breathe. 

You didn’t miss the beard anymore. His hair was wet and slicked back, but there was still a stubborn tendril that fell onto his forehead. There was water slowly running down his neck to his collar bone and you shocked yourself by realizing you were reaching out to wipe it with your fingers. 

Your hand ran softly down his neck, his skin wet and warm to your touch. 

Your eyes met and you saw him visibly swallow, his breathing a bit labored. 

“Thanks,” He said softly. Reaching up to wipe his neck again, but with a towel. You know, like a normal person would have done. You were so embarrassed. 

The whole scene only took seconds, but you felt a dizzying array of emotions. “Let’s..” you cleared your throat as the word came out a bit squeaky. “Let’s wrap your ribs again then, shall we?”

He nodded, and you were both silent as you put your arms around his waist again and again with the bandage. His breathing hitched a time or two, and you took a quick glance at his face to see his eyes were closed and his brow was furrowed. 

“Sorry”, you said as you finished. “I know that’s probably really painful.” It was the first words either of you had spoken in minutes and he just nodded at you in reply. 

You helped him slip on a white tank top and reached for the white shirt. He softly grasped your hand. “I think I’ll just sleep in this tonight.” His voice was low and raspy, and he didn’t let go of your hand. 

You nodded, and for a moment you both stood still, just looking into each other’s eyes. “I’ll just get the medicine I got for your face and the pills for the pain.”

He nodded and let your hand slip slowly from his own, as if he was hesitant to let you go. 

He sat on the edge of the bed, his height now equal to your own. You softly ran your hand over the bruises and cuts on his face with the ointment. “This one probably needed stitches.” You said quietly as you went around the still open cut near his eye. 

“Your probably going to have a scar.” On your beautiful face, you thought that last part to yourself. 

He shrugged and gave you a small smile, “it adds character right?” His eyes were so dark. It felt like he could see all the way into your soul. 

You nodded, and found yourself swaying toward him involuntarily. You closed your eyes and took a quick step backward, but he reached out and took your hand. 

He raised it to his face, not taking his eyes from yours for a second. He lightly kissed the back of your hand, and whispered “goodnight y/n.”

You inhaled a shaky breath, “goodnight Percival.” You pulled your hand from his grip and rushed from the room as fast as you could.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and support this story is getting! Much love ❤️

The days went on and you found yourself racing home from work just to see his smile as you came in the door. 

You also felt more and more at ease with his presence, stocking little moments away throughout the day to share with him later. 

His nightmares were happening less often. But you still found yourself sitting next to him holding his hand and stroking his hair a couple of times a week. 

Spring had finally arrived, and his injuries were finally almost healed. His face was as perfect as you were sure it ever had been, despite the small scar that remained near his eye. 

He walked with a limp, but that also seemed to be improving. You often came home to find him walking around the house, trying to force himself to walk without it. Taking long slow strides, but he couldn’t stop it completely. 

He had taken to sitting at the table in the mornings while you readied yourself for the day, reading the local newspaper. 

You stood at the sink looking out the window. “It’s going to be a beautiful day.” You said, glancing back at him over your shoulder. 

He lowered the paper and smiled at you, “good. It’s about time.”

“I was thinking maybe...” you paused looking back down at the sink. “Maybe we should go outside today? I need to start work on the garden, and I think you could use the fresh air.”

His smile slipped a bit, “I told you, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Someone might see me, and that leads to questions that I cannot answer. Not yet anyway.”

You sighed and realized you had to tell him. “Percival,” You dried your hands on a towel and moved to sit across from him. 

“This is a very small town.”

He nodded, “so I’ve been told. All the more reason to avoid the gossip.”

“Well, here’s the thing about that.” You looked down at the table, avoiding his dark gaze. “Everyone already knows you’re here. There are only so many things a woman can buy before people start asking questions.” You finished quietly, hoping he wouldn’t be angry. 

“What?” He reached across the table and grasped your hand, forcing you to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry, I am making your life so complicated, perhaps it’s time for me to...”

“NO!” You practically shouted it, and felt yourself blush. “No. You don’t need to leave. I.... I don’t WANT you to leave.”

He smiled, and squeezed your hand. “At some point I am going to have to figure out who I am and how I got here. I’m not sure I can do that without venturing further away than your garden.”

You nodded, “I know. Just.... just not yet. I told everyone you were a recluse from the city who came here to write a novel and you are renting a room from me for a while. People seem content with the explanation.”

“For now.” He added, and you knew he was right. But the pain in your chest and the rocks in your stomach when you thought about him going away, were real enough for you to try and hold onto him as long as you could. 

You could feel his eyes on you, and he leaned over and lifted your chin with a single finger. “Let’s go take a look at this garden, shall we?”

You smiled and nodded. 

He marveled at the beauty of what you had done with your family’s farm. 

The trellises dripping in vines and flowers. The hedge maze you planted and groomed all on your own. The rows and rows of flowers and plants, all waking up from their winter sleep. 

“It’s incredible.” He said as he walked next to you, on one of the many cobblestone paths you had created. His hands were clasped behind his back, and you walked slowly so he didn’t have to feel self conscious about the limping. 

“I’ve admired it from windows for so long, but seeing it like this... well, it’s beautiful, you have quite a rare talent.”

You felt your skin flush at the compliment, and you muttered a quiet thank you. 

“Where do we begin?” He asked and you glanced at him in surprise. 

“I had planned on digging up a few weeds and trimming back some things near the back porch. There is a swing back there I thought you could sit on while I work.”

He shook his head, “nonsense. I am capable of pulling a few weeds. At least I think I am.” He grinned and nudged you with his shoulder. 

“Then let’s get to work.” You smiled and nudged him back. 

You knelt side by side chatting easily while you worked. He was funny, sometimes he didn’t even know he was, until you were laughing until your sides hurt. 

You had a small metal spade you were using to dig up some particularly stubborn weeds when it happened. 

It was a simple mistake, the shovel slipped from your grip, your hand slid down and the sharp metal sliced your palm wide open. 

“Oh dear,” you mumbled, feeling a bit faint at the blood that rushed forth. 

“Shit,” he replied as he glanced over at you. “Here, give me your hand.” 

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it tightly around your palm, holding your small hand in both of his. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, and even though you weren’t quite sure, you nodded. 

“I.. I think so.” 

He wiped his right hand on his pants, brushing the dirt off of it and reached up to cup your cheek. “Are you sure? Should I go fetch a doctor?”

You let out a crazed cackle at that, “that would be ironic, would it not?” 

He scooted over until he was facing you, his knees touching yours. The worry was written all over his face as he watched the blood seeping right through the handkerchief. 

The expression changed from worry to determination. He held your hand out, with the palm up, and placed his right hand on top of it.

His eyes never left yours, but your hand suddenly felt warm, and it was tingling. 

The pain surged for a moment, and you gasped, but then it receded slowly and was gone. Your entire body was shaking, so many unexpected emotions. Fear. Need. Peace. An overall sense of wanting. 

You watched in complete silence as he pulled the handkerchief back, and wiped the blood away. The cut was gone, completely healed. 

“How did you...” you glanced up, and his face was inches from your own. “Do that.” You finished, your mouth going completely dry. 

He was staring at you, but not at your eyes. He looked directly at your lips. 

You licked and bit your bottom lip, feeling very conscious of his presence. 

He leaned forward, a minuscule amount. “Percival,” You whispered, almost ashamed at how your tone was so full of need. 

His eyes drifted closed and you felt his lips meet yours. It was soft, and gentle but it didn’t stay that way for long. 

Both of your hands went to his face, and he pulled you to him, his arms going around your waist. 

You were both on your knees, his hands holding you tightly and giving you shivers as one of them ran up your spine to the back of your neck. 

He tilted your head with it, to get a better angle, his tongue sweeping between your lips. 

You sighed and he let out a small moan as your own hands moved to grasp his hair. 

He climbed to his feet, bringing you with him, never letting his lips leave yours. 

He finally pulled back a bit to give you some air, but right now it was the last thing you wanted. You leaned forward instinctively going up on your tip toes to try and pull his lips back to yours. 

“Perhaps..” he whispered in his raspy voice, as he placed another soft kiss on your lips. “Do you think maybe..” he kissed you again. “We should go into the house?”

You looked around, and couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. “Yeah, you might be right about that.” You whispered against his lips. 

He grasped your hand and pulled you inside, slamming the door with his foot behind you. 

He woke with another nightmare that night. 

However this time, you laid at his side, and he simply pulled you back into his arms and peacefully fell back to sleep. 

—————————————————-

The tall man, and the not so tall man stood in an alley. 

The tall man paced back and forth, while the not so tall man leaned up against the wall smoking a cigarette. 

“I’m sure it was nothing.” The not so tall man said between puffs. “Probably just some random wizard who wandered into the area. I’m sure it was a complete fluke.”

The tall man looked at him in wonderment. “Well that would be one hell of a coincidence. I wish I had your confidence.”

“He was as good as dead, you know it as well as I do. There’s no way he survived even one night in that forest.” The not so tall man flicked his cigarette butt onto the ground. 

The tall man nodded, he REALLY wanted to believe the not so tall man. 

“What kind of spell was it?” The not so tall man asked. 

The tall man waved his hand, “just a small healing spell. Nothing anyone would take notice of.”

“Well there you go then,” The not so tall man responded. “We will just keep a closer eye on things. Good thinking casting that observation spell over the area. Even though I’m sure we won’t need it. Right?”

For a second the tall man realized the not so tall man was not quite as self assured as he seemed. 

He approached the not so tall man, and leaned over him. “You better hope so idiot, or we are both dead.”

The not so tall man swallowed, and pulled out another cigarette with a slightly shaky hand.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am obsessed with this story. Two updates in one week, and maybe another...

Tina Goldstein stood outside the President’s office door, Newt Scamander was right on her heels. 

“If you don’t knock, she will be less likely to open the door.” Newt leaned forward to whisper in her ear, his hands clasped behind his back. 

“Yeah, thanks for that.” Tina responded. She turned to look at Newt, “Are we absolutely sure this is a good idea? I mean, I literally just got my job back.”

“Tina, this was YOUR idea, how can I possibly know whether it’s a good one or not.”

Tina paced the hall a couple of more times, Newt stood patiently at the door, knowing full well she wasn’t going to change her mind. 

“I have to ask right? I mean SOMEONE needs to ask, and it might as well be me.”

Newt nodded, “absolutely. No question. Someone indeed needs to ask. But perhaps maybe...” he started, but she cut him off. 

“I’m going to ask. It’s been days and no one has said a word. Someone HAS to know something.”

Newt just kept nodding, “yes. Quite right. Would you like me to knock then?” Newt would have smiled at her absolute befuddlement, if he didn’t see the worry that laid behind it. 

“No. No, I can do it.” She raised her hand once, and put it back down. She raised it twice, and before she could raise it a third time she heard the President’s voice ring out. 

“Please just come in here Auror Goldstein, your indecision is making me dizzy.”

Tina gulped, and nodded at Newt as she opened the door. 

The President didn’t even glance up from her desk, which was absolutely covered in paperwork. “What is it? I have a million reports to go over.” 

“Well, madam President I have been thinking.”

“Worrying is a better word I would say,” Newt added, prodding Tina closer the the woman’s laden desk. 

It was then that Seraphina Picquery looked up. “Mr. Scamander, I was under the impression you were leaving us.” 

She raised an eyebrow at Newt and he gave her a small smile. “Soon enough President, I have a few more weeks yet before my trip home.”

“And your suitcase?” Seraphina couldn’t help the annoyance that rang out in her voice. 

“Uh, in a very secure location here at the MACUSA offices madam. Nothing to worry about.” Newt bowed back a bit, they weren’t here to talk about him. 

Seraphina nodded, and then looked at Tina. “Auror Goldstein how can I help you?”

Tina glanced around the room, and noticed she had the attention of every portrait on the wall. She took a shaky breath and despite hours of practice of the eloquent things she had planned on saying, she just spit out the words “Director Graves, Ma’am.”

President Picquery’s gaze fell back to her desk as she moved things around. “What about him?” She replied simply. 

Tina was shocked, “what about him? What do you mean, what about him?” She moved closer to the woman’s desk. “Where is he? Is he alive? If not has his body been recovered?” She couldn’t help her tone. The President’s nonchalant answer made her angry. 

Newt put a hand on Tina’s arm, pulling her back a bit. “I think you should give Madam Picquery a bit of a moment here Tina.”

Tina looked back down, and saw Newt was right. The President’s head still hung down, but her hand was shaking and Tina thought she heard her sniffle. 

“I..I’m sorry Ma’am. I just..” Tina stopped as Seraphina met her gaze, a single tear at the corner of one eye. 

“Sit.” She said, waving her wand and two chairs slid across the floor to the front of her desk. 

Tina’s heart was pounding, and she instinctively reached for Newt’s hand. “Is he dead?” She whispered, seeing the pain written all over Picquery’s face. 

Seraphina shook her head, and gracefully wiped at her eyes. “No one knows. Grindelwald isn’t talking, and we can’t find him anywhere.”

“So a search party has been created then?” Tina leaned forward putting her hands on the edge of the desk, speaking a bit more calmly now. 

Again the President nodded, “yes Goldstein, and I had a feeling I would be hearing from you. Frankly I’m surprised it took you as long as it did.”

“I want to help.” Tina responded. “Please, he was my mentor. My friend. Please, you have to let me help.”

Seraphina shook her head, “Don’t you see Tina, that’s exactly why you CAN’T help. You will not be able to stay objective. Your emotions will get in the way of what needs to be done. It’s the same reason I’m sitting here, instead of out there searching for the man I’ve been friends with for half of my life.” She pointed in an arbitrary direction, but Tina got the point. 

“Excuse me Madam,” Newt interrupted quietly. “But in my opinion the affection the two of you have for Director Graves is the very reason you should both be part of this investigation. You both knew him well, you care about his well being...”

Picquery stood from her chair and leaned over her desk. “We CARE about him? We KNOW him well? How can you even say those words to me.” She hissed at Newt. 

“Two months Mr. Scamander. Two months my friend was gone and replaced with someone else, and I failed to see it! I will never forgive myself.” The last words came out with just a hint of a sob, and she sank back into her chair putting a hand over her face. 

Tina jumped to her feet, Newt reached for her arm but she nodded at him and he let go. 

She moved to the other side of the desk and knelt at her superior’s side putting a hand on her arm. “But you did notice Seraphina. We both did, don’t you remember the conversations we had in secret about little things he was doing that we found strange.”

Seraphina nodded, and gently patted Tina’s hand. “Yes, and then he convinced me to fire you and he went after Creedence Barebone and I did nothing to stop it. I didn’t even know half of what was going on. How did I miss SO MUCH Tina? How?”

Tina looked down, “we all did. Grindelwald had to have been inside MACUSA for months watching Graves. He had everything from his slightest mannerisms, to what he ate for lunch perfected. I’m not sure there’s anything we could have done.”

Seraphina shook her head, “I’m sorry about everything that happened with you. Merlin help us, we almost had you killed Goldstein.”

“But I’m here Seraphina. And if he’s alive, you and I are his best bet at being found. You have to know that.”

Seraphina cleared her throat and stood up straight, Tina rose to her feet next to the elegant president. 

Seraphina nodded once at each of them. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get started.”

—————————————————-

You awoke wrapped in him. His arms around you, his legs entangled with yours. 

His beautiful sleeping face was tucked into your collar bone just above your left breast. You smiled down at him and softly placed a kiss on his forehead. 

You had dated other men, but you had never done THAT before. 

Percival didn’t ask if it was your first time, and you didn’t say anything. He was gentle, and careful, although you assumed part of that was because his ribs were still not completely healed. 

He stirred, and you realized you had been running your fingers softly through his hair. 

It was instinct now, you knew it calmed him and he loved it, and you had wanted to do it from the moment you met him. So you took advantage of every opportunity. 

His dark lashes fluttered, and you looked lovingly at his face. You had stared at it so much in the past weeks, you had memorized everything from the smile lines around his eyes, to the mole on his left cheek. 

He opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at you. 

“Sorry,” You whispered. “I didn’t intend to wake you up.”

His dark eyes searched your face, and he reached his hand up to brush your hair off of your forehead. “This IS real then? You are here in this bed with me?”

You chuckled, “I hope so. Because if I awaken and this was all a dream I am going to be in a VERY bad mood today.”

He raised himself up on his elbow, cupped your cheek with his hand and leaned down to kiss you. 

He gently nibbled at your bottom lip, and you gasped as he moved his lips to your jaw and then to your neck, his hand sliding down to match his lips movements. 

“Percival,” you sighed, his name falling from your lips. 

“Say it again,” he growled into your ear, as he ran his tongue up your neck. 

“Per..ci.. ahhh,” you gasped as he bit down softly where your neck met your shoulder. 

He chuckled darkly into your skin, and you felt the vibration all the way to your toes. 

You reached out and grabbed hold of his hair, pulling it hard enough to force him to look up at you. 

“Percival,” you proclaimed his name with passion and reverence. “I am yours.” The last part slipped from your lips before you could stop it. 

His face changed from humor to pure desire, and he pulled you to him in a searing kiss, his entire body flush with yours. 

He pulled back and looked into your eyes. “Yes.” He responded, his voice raspy and thick. “You are.”

————————————————-

He stood at the mirror shaving, and you watched him from a bath tub full of bubbles. 

You lifted a sponge to wipe at your neck and back, but became distracted by your hand. 

You looked at it closely in wonderment, there was no sign of your injury from yesterday. In fact, a scar you had on your thumb since childhood was also gone. 

“Percy?” You asked, not looking away from your hand. 

“Hm?” He responded, glancing down at you. 

“How did you do it?” You looked from your hand, up to meet his eyes and were confident he knew exactly what you were referring to. 

He turned toward you, half of his face still covered in shaving cream, his razor in his right hand. “Would it shock you to learn that I don’t know.” 

He said it with humor, but you knew your question had made him uncomfortable. 

“I guess not.” You responded, as he went back to shaving. This conversation definitely wasn’t over, but you didn’t want to push him. 

You climbed from the tub, wrapped a nearby towel around yourself, and used a second one to dry your hair. 

You glanced up to see him watching you very intently in the mirror. He blushed a bit, and ran the razor down his cheek. 

You moved over and stood behind him. He wore only a towel around his waist. You wrapped your arms around him, placed a soft kiss on his tattoo, and got on your tip toes to whisper in his ear. 

“Better pay attention Percival,” You were surprised by your own bravery as you flicked your tongue out, catching his ear lobe. “You might have to use whatever healing magic you have on yourself if you’re not careful with that straight razor.”

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving dramatically up and down. “Where was that when we needed it a few weeks ago? Am I right?” He said, his voice wobbling just a bit. 

You chuckled, “true. You could have been back to your old self in no time and you wouldn’t have needed me at all.”

He wiped the remaining cream from his chin, turned around and wrapped his arms around you. “Maybe I knew it all along, I just wanted to have enough time to seduce you.” 

He leaned down and kissed you, his tongue sweeping over your parted lips. You shivered at his touch as his hands ran over your naked shoulders and up to your neck. 

Your hands fisted in the towel that was already hanging precariously low on his hips. 

You couldn’t help but feel a small tingle of what you could only describe as danger. 

Danger of having no idea who he really was, or what he was capable of. 

Danger of thinking for a moment what if he was telling the truth, and all of this was some game to him?

He kissed you fervently, lifted you and carried you back to the bed. That was a whole new level of danger. 

The danger that the addiction that was Percival, would be something you’d never be able to break.


	8. Chapter 8

Percival’s head was pounding in his ears. He slowly opened his eyes, and had a moment of panic when he failed to recognize his surroundings. 

He caught his breath as he felt the weight of you in his arms. 

He then remembered. The two of you had moved up stairs into your much bigger and nicer suite a couple of days previously. 

He cringed at the fact that he still found himself to be a bit jumpy at any sort of change. It made him feel weak. And he knew enough about himself to know that was something he was not used to. 

He winced again as his pulse throbbed in his head. He raised the hand that wasn’t trapped under your sleeping form, and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

The headaches had started not long after he had miraculously healed your hand. And they were getting worse. 

He hadn’t said anything to you, not wanting you to worry. You seemed so... happy. And despite his memory loss, his instincts told him that he had never been this content in his life. 

He silently cursed himself for not bringing the pain medication you had purchased him, up here to your room. He didn’t want to wake you, but frankly he was starting to see dots within his field of vision. 

He closed his eyes for a moment, and out of sheer curiosity and again, instinct, he raised his right hand in the air. 

It took only a moment and the bottle of pills that had been downstairs landed firmly in his grip. 

It was like a steam valve had been released on his over pressurized brain. He sighed out loud as the pain immediately subsided, but winced as he felt it twitching again right behind his eyes. 

He opened his eyes and looked at the bottle in his hand. He didn’t even feel surprised. It just felt... normal. 

He popped the cap off with his thumb, and dumped a couple of the small pills into his mouth and swallowed them dry. He winced as they scratched their way down his throat. 

He looked down at you, and softly brushed some hair from your face in order to see your profile better. 

His heart warmed and he memorized every detail of the parts of you he could see. 

Your night gown had slipped from your shoulder, and he resisted the urge to run his hand along your naked collar bone. 

He was surprised as he felt tears fill his eyes. He was absolutely and positively in love with you. 

And it terrified him. 

He reached his hand out again and felt a handkerchief land between his fingers. He wiped at his eyes and looked down at his hand. 

He didn’t feel like he was a dangerous person. But... he did feel like he had that potential lurking inside him. 

He had a sudden anger build in him as he realized if the men that did this to him found him again, they could do it to you. 

The nightmares he had been having had brought on flashbacks. Terrifying moments of pain and helplessness at the hands of the two men who held him in some kind of dungeon. 

He knew they left him to die that day. They may have thought him already dead. The feelings that arose as he thought of them possibly returning to finish the job and finding you....

Just the thought of it made his hand tighten into a fist. His knuckles turned white, and he could feel his fingernails digging into his palm. 

His whole body trembled with rage and power. He shook with it, and only stopped when you made a small noise and wrapped yourself tighter around his body. 

He put his arms around you and held you tightly against him, and when you opened your eyes a bit and smiled up at him his anger melted into need. 

He rolled you onto your back, and climbed on top of you kissing you with desperation. You gasped in surprise, but did nothing to stop him as he raised up for a moment and looked down at you with eyes so dark they were almost black. 

He took you with a speed and ferocity he had never shown before, and when it was over he collapsed on top of you, his head resting in the crook of your neck. 

You looked down at your naked entwined bodies and started to giggle. You didn’t even remember him taking your clothes off. 

“Good morning.” He said, with a dark chuckle as he pressed his lips to your neck. 

“Isn’t it though?” You responded, still unable to stop giggling. 

He tickled you a bit and you squealed as he lifted himself to kiss your lips. 

You placed a hand on his cheek and brought the other arm up to wrap around his neck. 

“And what did I do to deserve that delicious wake up call?” You asked, running your fingers through his mussed hair. 

He shrugged, “you amazingly continue to exist and not disappear before my eyes.” He ran a hand along your face, there was a bit of sadness in his eyes. 

“I’m not going anywhere.” You answered, but suddenly had a nervous feeling. “Are you?” You asked, your voice trembling a little at the thought of it. 

He laid his head back down on your chest. “I don’t want to.” He said quietly. 

“Then don’t.” You didn’t love the desperation that made its way into your tone. 

“I can’t stay if it means I’m putting you in danger. These abilities I have... they have got to be part of what caused me to end up here in the first place.” 

He didn’t lift his head. He was avoiding meeting your gaze and you both knew it. You ran your fingers softly through his hair. It was getting long, but he didn’t seem to care, and neither did you. 

It was the first time he said it out loud openly. “You said abilities, does that mean you think there is more to it than the healing?”

He raised a hand in the air, still without raising his head from where it rested on you. You gasped as a frame with a photo of you and your brother in it, flew from across the room and landed softly between his fingers. 

“Yes. I do think that.” He responded his voice muffled by your skin. 

It was at this point that he finally lifted his eyes to me yours, his expression was a combination of fear and questioning. “Does it scare you? That I can... do these things?”

You took the frame from his grip and laid it on the table next to you, and thought about that for a moment. 

While you realized that you couldn’t hide your surprise and shock, no, you weren’t afraid.

You shook your head, “no. I trust you, and love you for everything you are.”

You both realized your words at the same time. “Did you just say that you love me?” He asked, a hint of teasing in his voice as your eyes opened wider in surprise by your own words. 

“I think I did.” You said quietly, suddenly unsure of absolutely everything. Feeling very afraid of what his response what going to be. 

He leaned up onto his hands, hovering above you like an incredibly beautiful angel. His hair slipped forward into his face and he smiled down at you. 

“Does that scare you Percival?” You asked, your voice low and raspy, knowing how much he loved hearing his name fall from your lips. 

“Not even a little my love,” he laughed as he grabbed you and rolled you on top of him. 

You squealed and settled yourself across his chest. Your head resting on your hands so you could see his face. 

“I’m going to be late for work,” You whispered. 

His smile grew and his eyes crinkled and glittered with mischief. “Yes you are. Very,” he said pulling you into a heated kiss. 

“I love you.” He whispered into your lips, and you resigned yourself to not caring if you made it to work at all that day. 

————————————————-

Seraphina Picquery was furious. No, that word didn’t begin to describe the rage that was threatening to explode all over everyone sitting in the room. 

Much like the explosion that just nearly killed them all. 

Weeks. WEEKS they’ve been working endless nights and days, and finally they get one solid lead and it ends in disaster. 

“Would someone like to tell me what the hell happened today?” She spoke softly but her voice was full of venom. 

She stood at the front of the small room next to Auror Rawlings, who had been in charge of the team before Seraphina decided to join the search. 

Everything was pin drop quiet and the aurors who surrounded her all seemed very interested in their shoes right now. 

They finally received a tip that was actually worth its weight in galleons, and yet here they all were. Covered in dust and debris. Scratches, bruises and cuts. 

It was a miracle no one died. 

Tina and Newt stood at the back of the room. 

“Are we sure it was a credible tip?” Newt bent close to Tina’s ear. 

She nodded. “Yes, it was definitely where Percival was being held. At least at some point.”

Tina thought back to a few hours ago when she and Picquery carefully made their way into the old decrepit house. 

With a team of curse breakers in front of them, checking for traps, they moved about with both women following behind casting memory charms to see whose residual energy was left behind. 

“We couldn’t make out the faces of the other people. Whoever cast the spell to cover them up was quite proficient. But when we got to the basement, they hadn’t bothered hiding him... we saw... well we saw enough.” Her voice trailed off and Newt wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders as she swallowed the lump in her throat. 

“The things they did to him Newt.” She shook her head and wiped at a single tear that fell from her eye. 

“He could still be alive Tina. Don’t give up hope.”

She nodded, and sniffed once. “Anyway, by the time they found the trap we were all inside the building.”

Newt grimaced at the memory of being stuck outside helplessly as shouts came from the house for people to get out. 

Fortunately they all cleared the building before the explosion. 

“It doesn’t make any sense Newt.” Tina continued to whisper to the man on her left as Picquery firmly lectured the small room full of witches and wizards. 

“We had JUST missed them. The tea pot was still sitting on the stove.” She chewed her thumbnail, and Newt gave her shoulders a squeeze. 

Tina’s distraction was interrupted as the room began to empty. They all looked like they were leaving a funeral, and Tina had a moment of pity for them. 

They all missed Graves, just like she did. They all felt like failures. Just like she did. They all looked heartbroken, (a couple of the witches were even wiping at their eyes with handkerchiefs.) just like she did. 

“Auror Goldstein?” Tina looked up and met Seraphina’s gaze. 

“Yes ma’am?”

“Could you follow me please?” The elegant graceful woman turned and left the room from the door at the back instead of following everyone else. 

Tina looked over at Newt in question, he shrugged and pushed her forward with a hand at the small of her back. 

Seraphina kept walking. Newt and Tina right behind her. 

She left the building and went around a corner, stopping in an alley that was between their building and a no-mag furniture shop. 

“Ma’am?” Tina asked, looking at their surroundings. 

Seraphina cast a muffliato spell, and moved close to the other two. 

“They knew we were coming.” She said simply. 

Tina nodded, chewing on her thumbnail again, “I thought the same thing Ma’am.”

“Could it possibly have been the individual who called in the tip in the first place? Perhaps setting a trap to harm all of you?” Newt asked. 

Seraphina shook her head, “no. That’s.. not possible.” She spoke softly. 

“I’m sorry ma’am but isn’t anything possible at this point?” Tina looked up into Seraphina’s eyes. 

The president shook her head. “The tip came from me. I discovered the safe house myself.”

“How?” Tina was confused. 

“I was so tired of waiting and searching. I knew we weren’t getting anywhere, so I went... “ she paused, almost looking ashamed. 

“I went to the no-mag police department.” She closed her eyes, “I’m not proud of what I did to get access to their files. But when I came across the file from a couple of months ago about a woman who saw two men carrying a man who fit Percival’s description into an empty field and then vanishing before her eyes, well let’s just say I didn’t agree with the officer’s response that the woman was ‘off her rocker’.” She raised her fingers into air quotes at the man’s words. 

“There was no one else that knew anything about that hidden house until I revealed it in the meeting we had right before we left.” She looked at Tina and Newt waiting for them to catch up to her train of thought. 

“But that means....” Tina didn’t finish the sentence. 

All three knew what it meant. 

One of the aurors in the investigation was working for Grindelwald.


	9. Chapter 9

Even though you had settled into a comfortable routine, you were uneasy. 

You woke in his arms every day and then proceeded to work, and left him to his own devices. 

He worked on the garden mostly, but you couldn’t help but wonder how long that was going to be enough. 

You were scared. He was going to get restless. How could he not? And then... well then you were sure he was going to leave. 

You stood at the kitchen sink staring out the window, and the day was dark and gloomy. It mirrored your mood. 

“Going to be rainy all day today I am guessing.” You state, glancing over at him. 

He sat at the table, legs crossed, reading the newspaper. He nodded, “it’s definitely looking that way.”

He looked down at the paper again, and furrowed his brow. He glanced back up and waved his hand. The kitchen light turned on. 

He picked up the tea you had sat in front of him, as if what he had done was completely normal. And to be fair, for him it was. 

Every time he used magic it helped his headache. You figured that out quickly, even though he hadn’t said anything. 

It was as if his abilities were not going to allow him to hold them inside, and really, why would you?

He took a drink from the mug you sat in front of him, and grimaced as he looked up at you. 

You smirked at his expression. 

“This is not coffee.”

You chuckled, “no. It’s tea. You drink too much coffee.”

You walked over to him, drying your hands on a towel. 

When you were close enough, he reached out and pulled you into his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around you. 

You leaned back into his chest, “What are you going to do today, since gardening is not an option?”

He hmmmd into your ear, and your entire body vibrated from his deep voice. 

“I thought I might read or maybe write a bit. I thought it might be interesting to write down my story. Our story” he added and he kissed your neck. 

You swallowed the lump in your throat, grateful that your back was to him, so he couldn’t see the tears forming in your eyes. 

You nodded your head, “that’s a good idea.” You say it softly in hopes that your voice doesn’t crack and give you away. 

But he knows you better than that by now. 

He turns you in his lap, placing a hand on your chin forcing you to meet his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

You shook your head, and climbed to your feet. “It’s nothing, I’m going to be late.”

He grabbed your arm and pulled you to him, “What. Is. Wrong?” 

You laid your forehead on his chest, trying to think of how to put what you’re feeling into words. 

“What happens when it isn’t enough?” Your voice sounded small and weak. You hated it. 

He lifted your chin, “when what isn’t enough?”

You motioned around yourself, “this. All of this. When you finally remember who you are, and none of this is enough to make you happy. 

You can’t hide here forever. You’re an important man, neither of us is stupid Percival. We both know it’s true. 

And when that happens, this tiny house in this tiny town isn’t going to be enough for you. I’M not going to be enough.”

You felt his body stiffen against you, and he held you out at arms length, his face was almost angry. 

“How can you say that? How can you even think it?” He placed a hand on your cheek, wiping the tear that fell with his thumb. “You are enough, YOU are everything.” 

You backed away from his touch, knowing if you stayed you wouldn’t say the things you needed to say. 

“You don’t know that. You can’t.”

Your voice was rising and you were fighting to not sound hysterical. 

“There are people out there looking for you.” You pointed out the window to your right. 

“You don’t know how many! You could have a family! Children! A...wife.” You choked the last word out with a sob. 

He looked down for a moment, pausing to let you catch your breath. And then his dark eyes met yours. 

He shook his head, a frown on his face. “What if I didn’t have those things? But what if my life was complicated and perhaps a bit dangerous? Would it change the way you feel about me?”

You flinched. “That is an impossible question for me to answer without any context Percival. And it’s unfair of you to ask.”

Your tears flowed freely now. 

“Dammit.” He whispered under his breath. 

He sighed, and looked at you with desperation, “please,” he pulled out a chair from the table. “Sit.”

You shook your head, “why?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, and grunted. “Because I am about to tell you everything, and you are going to want to be sitting down when I do. Trust me.” He finished quietly.

“Wha.. what are you saying?”

He took your hand and physically guided you to the chair motioning for you to sit. He then knelt in front of you, taking your hands in his. “I’m saying that I don’t have a wife. Or children. But what I do have is a dangerous job, in a dangerous world that you are supposed to know nothing about.”

You felt dizzy, and were glad he made you sit.

“I’m saying I remember. My memories came back a bit at a time, until a few days ago when I woke with all of them in place. And if you are positive you really want to know, I’ll tell you everything. But I need you to understand, it will change everything.”

You looked deeply into his eyes, there was fear there, but you knew that neither of you could live like this forever. You nodded.

“Tell me everything.”

______________________________________________________

The tall man and the not so tall man stood outside of a large door to a room they had both hoped to avoid. 

“He’s going to be angry.” The not so tall man said. 

“We will be lucky if he doesn’t kill us both.” The tall man agreed. 

“What if we don’t tell him?”

“Pretty sure that shipped sailed when the bastard started doing magic again. We can’t hide from this any longer. We should have just made sure he was dead the first time.”

The not so tall man nodded, and with a shaky hand knocked on the door.

“What?” The deep voice responded from inside the office.

The two men awkwardly went through the door, to see the large bald man sitting behind an enormous desk give them a look that might possibly kill someone. 

“What is it, I’m busy.” The large man stated, dipping a quill into a golden ink pot and scratching out some words onto a large piece of parchment.

“Sir, there’s been... “ the tall man swallowed, quite literally scared for his life. “There’s been an incident.”

The large man looked up at them, “say more right now.” He responded angrily.

“Percival Graves is alive.” The not so tall man blurted out, just trying to get it over with.

The large man stood up, and leaned forward, his hands on his desk. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?”

“Well you see,” the tall man continued, “we thought he WAS dead. But it turns out, he was not as dead as we thought.”

The large man let a deep breath out through his nose, making a sound very much like an angry dragon.

“Keep talking.” He said through gritted teeth.

“He really shouldn’t have survived,” the not so tall man started. “We not only tortured him brutally, but we obliviated him so many times his brain should be completely scrambled.”

“But you’re not sure.” The large man’s eyes flicked to the tall man.

“We WERE sure. But....” the tall man swallowed the vomit he felt rising from his stomach. “It seems we may have been wrong.”

“It’s going to be okay though,” the tall man continued quickly before the large man could respond. “We took and destroyed his wand. So even if by some insane chance he does remember anything, there isn’t much he can do about it.”

The large man smiled at them. Not the kind of smile you want to see on a man you know to be a bit mentally unstable. 

And then, even more terrifyingly, he started to laugh.

“You took his wand? It’s okay because YOU TOOK HIS WAND?” The large man was shouting at this point, the laughter fading into some kind of evil chuckle.

“Well then, that fixes everything, now doesn’t it.” He spit the words with so much venom the two men couldn’t help but flinch. “Except it doesn’t. He’s Percival Graves. He doesn’t need a fucking wand.”

He moved out from behind the desk, and both of the other men took a step backward. He leaned against the front of the desk, and folded his arms across his chest.

“Tell me gentlemen, why do you think Grindelwald chose Graves in the first place?”

Both men stayed quiet, not knowing if he really was looking for them to answer.

“Were you aware,” he continued, “that Percival Graves is known to be one of the most powerful wizards in North America?”

The tall man shook his head, but the large man continued. “You left Graves to die without a wand, as if that would matter.” His voice was quiet, and terrifying.

“He could kill both of you easily without one. Isn’t that right Head Auror Rawlings?” He shifted his angry gaze to the not so tall man, who had the sense to look at his shoes before answering. 

“Sir, I just...”

The large man didn’t have any intention of letting Rawlings continue. “Tell me Rawlings, were YOU aware of Graves’s abilities with wandless magic? And before you try and lie to me, keep in mind who you’re talking to.”

Rawlings knew the large man already knew the answer to the question, so he said nothing.

The tall man looked at Rawlings in horror, “you knew? You knew he didn’t need his wand?”

The large man interrupted, “also Rawlings, I believe it was you who was in control of the explosive charge when MACUSA discovered our safe house. I’d like to know why I didn’t get the news that we have building full of dead aurors?”

Rawlings finally looked up, and met both men’s eyes. “No one hates Graves more than I do, but I didn’t join this movement to kill innocent people.”

The large man scoffed, and moved forward. “No, you joined this movement out of some petty jealousy you feel towards Graves.”

“That’s not true!” Rawlings defended himself, but the large man kept moving forward. 

“It is true! The man had the job you desired, no? The respect of your fellow aurors, and the ear of the lovely Seraphina Piquery?”

Rawlings felt the heat crawling up his face, “none of this is about that.”

“Hmmph.” The large man scoffed. “Now you’re lying to yourself as much as you are me.”

He returned to the large chair behind the desk, and both men held their breaths, knowing this was where the large man decided if they saw another sunrise or not. 

“Go to Graves,” The large man met Rawlings’s eyes. “And kill him Rawlings. If you don’t, I’ll kill you myself. Get out of my office.”

He looked down, and both men turned to scramble from the room before the large man changed his mind.

Rawlings made it to the door first, and the tall man risked a look back, as he felt the large man’s eyes on him. 

“When he’s done with Graves, kill him.” The large man said softly enough that the tall man was the only one to hear. 

The tall man simply nodded, and left the office closing the door behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments guys. Seriously, you are all amazing.  
> Thank you for reading.

“I was born in Dublin.” Percival started, he leaned forward in his chair, both of your hands wrapped in his. 

“I was small when it started, but by the time I was about 9, my parents knew my magic was going to be a problem.”

He sighed, “both of my parents came from long lines powerful witches and wizards, but my abilities were different. A bit more....volatile.

They did their best, but things became too difficult for me to control. When things were at their worst, my father decided to move us to London. There is a large population of wizards and witches there, and my parents hoped they could find someone to help me. 

They took me to a former teacher of theirs, and he helped me gain better control of my abilities.”

He paused for a few moments, and you squeezed his hands, “it’s okay, I’m here.” You whispered, and he swallowed and continued.

“My father got sick, not long after we arrived. That doesn’t happen often, with wizards.” He clarified. “It was quite a shock, even more so when he passed away not much longer. The only family my mother had left was a sister who lived here in New York, who also happened to be an influential and powerful witch, so my mother moved the two of us across the ocean and we turned up on my aunt’s doorstep.”

You had so many questions. Witches and wizards? This all sounded like some strange work of fiction, and if you hadn’t witnessed it for yourself you never would have believed him.

“When I turned 11 I received an invitation to study at Ilvermorny. It’s a private school where witches and wizards living in america study. It was there I learned how to use and perfectly control my magic, and began to figure out the things I was capable of.

I’m a strong wizard. I don’t say that to be prideful, I just need you to understand. Magic like mine is... rare. And can be dangerous, without the proper training. I finished school at the top of my class, and eventually became the youngest person ever to hold the position I do.”

“And what is it that?” You asked, starting to feel a bit shaky as it was all becoming very very real.

“I am the director for the Magical Congress of the United States of America. Otherwise known as MACUSA. It’s the wizarding form of law enforcement, and I am in charge there.”

You tried to chuckle, but it came out a bit strangled. “Well that sounds impressive.”

He still looked down at your hands and mindlessly ran his thumb over your skin in small circles. “There are a couple of things you need to understand.”

“Only a couple.” You scoffed a bit.

He paused and still didn’t meet your eyes. You stomach was doing flip flops you knew what he was about to tell you was not good news.

“The wizarding world and the no-maj world don’t mix. And when I say that, I mean....” he paused again. “I mean that by being here I am breaking every law I am supposed to protect.”

“You’re breaking the law?” You asked.

“Yes.” He responded.

“You are the director of law enforcement, and you are breaking the law?”

“A rather large one at that.”

“Just by being here with me?”

He shrugged, “semantics I suppose. I break no laws by spending time with you, but the fact that you know what I can do, and that I am telling you all of this, well that is different.”

This time he did look up at you, “but I don’t care.”

“You don’t care?”

He shook his head, “no. Not even a little. It surprises me how little I care actually.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then smiled at you. “My friend Sera would never believe I said that, I’ve always been a bit of a stickler for following rules.”

From everything you knew of his personality, you could see that that was probably the truth.

“Do you remember what happened? I mean, do you remember who did this to you? Or why?”

His face flushed red at that, “yes. I do, and it’s all a little humiliating really.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” you squeezed his hands and smiled at him. “It doesn’t change anything about where we are now.”

He nodded, “I suppose that’s true. If anything I should be thanking them for helping me find you.” He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on your lips. 

You fought the urge to climb up on his lap, and nodded for him to continue.

“It was my Head Auror. I’m pretty certain.”

“Auror?” You ask, the word feeling strange on your tongue. 

“Yes, lead detective if you will.”

You nodded your understanding. “Were you friends?”

Percival laughed at that, “no. Rawlings hated me, he felt he deserved my job and that the only reason I got it was because of my connections in our government. He was wrong though, he never could have handled the position. He’s too...soft. At least I thought he was. There is a dangerous wizard on the loose, he has frightening abilities not unlike mine. We were hunting him, but I realized too late that Rawlings was working for him.”

He trailed off, and his face looked pained, he was remembering dark times. “Percival we don’t have to talk about this. You’ve told me enough, I don’t want you to have to remember.”

He shook his head, “I’ll always remember love, talking about it isn’t going to change that.”

He chuckled a bit, “I was working late. Because I always worked late. He brought me a mug of tea. Much like the one you gave me this morning. I was surprised when it wasn’t coffee, again much like today.” He smiled at you and you felt your face flush, embarrassed a bit by your boldness earlier. 

“I drank it, complained about it, and then woke up tied to a chair in a damp and filthy basement. They tortured me for what could have been days, or weeks. I lost track of time. They didn’t even want anything from me really, they just needed me to be alive and Rawlings wanted me to suffer.”

He looked back down, “you have no idea how utterly humiliated I feel. The great Percival Graves, brought down by a subordinate and a bloody cup of tea.”

And those words frightened and angered you a bit. “Is that why you’re still here? You’re too embarrassed to return?”

“No! No, never think that. I am still here because I want to be, I don’t want to go back.”

Your voice caught, “but you have to, don’t you?”

He nodded and took a deep breath, and met your eyes for a moment before looking back down. “I was helping a boy. Back in New York before all this happened.” His voice was soft, and sad.

“I saw so much of myself in him, of what I would have become without the training and support that I had. He was headed down a dangerous road, and I was just beginning to recognize it.”

“What did you do?” You asked, and he scoffed and his voice caught.

“Nothing. God help me, I kept my suspicions to myself and then I was taken. A protege of mine knows the family is struggling, the mother is quite abusive. But she has no idea the boy is quite possibly harboring a dangerous creature.”

“How dangerous?”

Percival’s dark hooded eyes met yours, “very. Especially to him, it will kill him eventually. I have to warn Goldstein and Seraphina. It is that and that alone which will force me to return. Credence needs me. He has no one else he can trust.”

You got to your feet, and walked back over to the window. The rain pounded on the roof, you definitely weren’t going to work on a day like this. You were grateful for it, the sound of it covered your sobs. “I understand.” You finally said.

You felt his arm go around your waist, and he softly moved your hair to kiss your neck. “I’ll come back to you, I promise.”

You nodded, and wanted with all your heart to believe him. He turned you in his arms and took your face in his hands, his thumbs softly wiping your tears. “I don’t want that life anymore, I need you to believe me.”

You looked away from him, “I want to. Percival, I want nothing more than to believe you. But...”

He kissed you, stopping your words, “but nothing woman. I am yours.” He lifted you into his arms and carried you to the room it all began in and laid you on the bed.

“Nothing will keep me from you, do you hear me? Nothing.” His face held such determination, that for at least a little while, you let yourself believe.

——————————————————-

The storm raged, and you laid in his arms listening to his steady breaths. You soaked in every detail, his smell, the feel of him wrapped around you, the sound of the rain pounding on the nearby window.

And the loud crack of thunder.

He sat straight up, and scrambled to his feet.

“Percival?” You asked confused as he put his clothes back on as quickly as possible. You got to your feet and dressed yourself as he stood to the side of the window peeking out. “What’s the matter? It’s just thunder.”

Another loud crack, and he jumped and grabbed your hand. “I need you to hide.” He said, pulling you out of the room and down the hallway toward the cellar door.

“I don’t understand.” You pushed back, and could hear the strangest sounds coming from the yard.

“It’s not thunder love. They’re here, they’ve found me. It’s not safe.” He pushed the door open and moved you toward the stairs. “I have no wand which makes things a bit harder for me to control and my wards will only hold for so long, I cannot risk losing you.”

“Percival stop!” You placed your hands on his cheeks. “Do you remember what I told you when you first got here?”

There were sounds of shouting and what sounded like gunshots outside. He kept looking over his shoulder at the front door. “Yes love, I do, but defending yourself against magic is not something you were or are prepared for.”

You moved past him into the office at the back of the house. You opened the closet door and pulled out a large shotgun that your father had trained you to use from the moment you could lift it.

You loaded and cocked it, “how about you let me decide that one.” You said with a smile as you closed his gaping mouth with a finger to his chin and kissed him soundly.


	11. Chapter 11

Newt ran behind Tina staying right on her heels. When the call from the President came that there was solid information about what happened to Graves, Tina couldn’t be slowed.

They apparated and ran through the ministry, not stopping until they reached the door to Piquery’s office. 

Tina took the time to tap on the door a few times before opening it carefully. Seraphina Piquery paced in front of her desk. “What took you so long?”

Newt suppressed a smile, both women were at their wit’s end.

“Sorry,” Tina muttered. Standing still, her hands clasped behind her back.

“Rawlings.” Piquery finally said after a moment of silence.

“It was Rawlings. He’s working with Grindelwald.”

Tina couldn’t hide the shock. “Wha..what? That can’t be....” but her voice trailed off for a moment, and then she sank into the chair that was next to her. “Actually, it can.”

Piquery nodded at Tina and continued to pace.

“How did I miss something so obvious.” Tina muttered, and Newt wasn’t sure if she was talking to anyone besides herself. “He hates Graves. I mean, I knew that, I just never would have thought....”

“That he would be brave enough to actually do something about it?” Seraphina finished, and Tina blushed a bit.

“It’s okay Goldstein, you can say it. Rawlings is a coward. Always has been.”

“What do we do now?” Newt jumped in as both women seemed lost in their own thoughts momentarily. 

“I followed him.” Piquery said, and both Newt and Tina looked up at her in surprise. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I just wanted to be sure. He met with an unknown suspect, but the location was one of many on the list of places we were set to search for Grindelwald.”

“Is he... is Percival dead?” Tina finally spoke, looking up to meet the president’s eyes.

Seraphina shrugged, “to be honest, I don’t know. But what I do know is that Rawlings showed up here a few moments before I reached out to you. He went straight to his office, and from what my sources tell me he wasn’t alone.”

Tina got to her feet, “I’ll go bring them in. Who is with him?”

The other woman shook her head, “no Goldstein. It’s too late, they got what they came for and have left already. Rawling’s office is cleared out, nothing of any value left behind. The man that is with him is an unknown, and besides, I don’t want them brought in.”

“Ma’am?” Tina asked, a confused look on her face.

“I’m tracking them now Tina. If they go anywhere suspicious, I want you to follow. Let’s just pray they lead us to Percival, and hope to Merlin he’s alive.”

“I’m going too,” Newt said, fully expecting the president to argue, but she just gave a resolute nod.

“I assumed as much Mr. Scamander.” Her voice held a tremor of exasperation. “Tell no one, the three of us alone hold this information. No one else.”

Tina nodded, and looked at Newt who also gave a simple resolute nod. “When do we leave?”

—————————————————————

You headed toward the door, but Percival reached out to grab you.

“Where are you going love?” He asked, and you looked at him over your shoulder.

“Trust me.” You said simply, and he shook his head.

“I do, but you have no idea what you are up against here, it’s too dangerous.”

“Percival, just let me try and scare them off. Give me five minutes, if they don’t go quietly, then you can intervene.”

You were surprised when he didn’t argue, but let go of you and nodded.

“Stay inside the wards, do you understand me?” He placed a hand on your cheek, and you nodded even though you really didn’t understand at all.

You opened the front door and were glad that the rain had settled into a drizzle. You could see clearly two men at the outskirts of your yard dressed in suits and long black cloaks.

You saw what Percival meant now, both men were struggling to get through what looked like an invisible wall. Every time one of them struck it, it sounded like a gun shot and a shimmer of color spread out. It was enough that you could clearly see the outline of some kind of protective dome around the house.

You moved forward but neither man looked at you, you watched with curiosity as what you could only assume were wands were being thrust into the invisible barrier.

They were both too involved in what they were doing to notice you, so you decided to fix that. You aimed the shotgun straight in the air and fired it.

Both men stopped immediately, and looked straight at you.

‘No time to be scared now’, you thought to yourself and you moved a bit closer so they could hear you without you having to shout.

“Is there something I can help you with gentlemen?” You asked simply, letting the shotgun rest comfortably in the crook of your arm.

“Where is he?” The taller of the two men growled at you.

“I’m sorry, who are we talking about?” You tilted your head, giving them an innocent expression.

“You know damn well who he’s talking about you stupid woman.” The shorter of the two men shouted at you. “Where is he?”

You smirked at this one, “you must be Rawlings.” You took another step forward, careful to keep your distance, but enough to hopefully make them believe you weren’t afraid. “I heard you were a bit of an ass. You should probably be more careful how you speak to me, it seems to me that your little stick there isn’t going to be able to hurt me. The same can’t be said for mine.” You cocked the shotgun dramatically and raised it until it pointed straight at him.

“Aughhh!” He screamed in fury and started screaming at the barrier throwing spell after spell at it. You squinted your eyes as bright red and white sparks shot in every direction.

The tall man looked at him with a bit of surprise and then proceeded to help. To be honest, you hadn’t anticipated that response. You had fully anticipated him running away with his tail between his legs, but you stood your ground. 

The minute that wall fell, you were going to start shooting, and nothing was going to stop you, except the sight of the two men who hurt the man you loved, laying at your feet.

You suddenly heard a hiss and felt pain in your right arm, and noticed your shirt had a singed hole in it. You grimaced at the pain, and raised the shotgun as the tall man realized one of their shots actually got through.

“Here!” He shouted at Rawlings, and both men fired at the same spot, cracks began to show and you braced yourself.

“STOP!” His voice was so loud that it shook the ground.

Both men ceased moving and looked to you right. Percival moved to your side, and looked over at you. “Are you alright?” He asked, his brow furrowed at the sight of your shirt.

“I’m fine.” You responded, not taking your eyes off the men in front of you, the shotgun at your shoulder ready to fire as soon as necessary. 

“Rawlings.” Percival spat the name more than saying it.

“Director.” The man responded simply.

“I am going to give you one chance, and only one.” Percival moved forward a couple of steps. “I suggest you take it.”

“Your wards are failing,” the taller of the two man chuckled. “And you have no wand Graves. I don’t care what people say, you are far more helpless than we are.”

You fired the shotgun again, aiming right between the two men and hitting a tree that was right behind them. Bark and shrapnel exploded and they both jumped apart.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” You shouted, knowing that the men’s ears were probably ringing from the sound of the gun shot.

“Shut up bitch.” The tall man yelled, “I’ll kill you where you stand.”

“Do not threaten her.” Percival’s words thundered through the air with so much power and authority that even you were frightened.

The tall man seemed to falter momentarily rethinking the entire situation. But it didn’t last, he raised his arm quicker than you would have imagined possible. And you heard your self scream “look out!” As you leapt to push Percival out of the way when a red streak flew from the man’s wand.

It hit you square in the chest.

You didn’t fall immediately. In fact you had the perfect view for when Percival howled like an animal and raised a hand toward the man. You heard the sickly sound of his spine breaking when he slammed into a tree, but your eyes were fighting to close so you couldn’t tell what else was going on. 

The shotgun fell from your grasp and you heard three loud cracks and shouting. More people?

You suddenly realized you were on your knees on the ground, and Percival’s arms were around you. “Hey love, stay with me okay.” His voice cracked and you heard him shout, “Sera, over here help me!”

You heard a woman shout at Rawlings to lower his wand, and another woman’s soft voice spoke near you. “Percival what have you done? Who is this woman?”

“We need to get her to MACUSA, to the hospital ward.” Was his only response, and he looked back down at you. “Hey, keep your eyes open for me love, okay?”

“We can’t do that Percival, she’s a no-maj.”

“Seraphina, I am not going to argue with you,” you felt your body being lifted, but found you couldn’t quite hold your head up anymore, so you let it fall onto Percival’s shoulder. 

“She needs immediate medical assistance madam president, or she WILL die.” A man with a soft voice and a British accent this time, and his words caught your attention. “And a muggle hospital will be of no help to her.” 

“We can just obliviate her after we save her ma’am.” The other woman, pretty with short dark hair, holding tightly to Rawlings’s arm. 

“No!” Percival shouted, “She’s mine, no one is obliviating her.”

“Percy...” the word fell from your lips, you needed to tell him that you loved him. You needed him to know that if you had to die that would be okay, as long as he was safe. “Love...you.” You managed to fumble over the words before you passed out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter of this story. There will possibly be an epilogue, as I am considering another story that might tie into these characters a bit.   
> I know this update is wayyyyy over due, and I’m sorry for that. I wanted to wait until after I saw CoGW before I finished it, in case I needed to change anything. And I wanted to get everything in one last chapter. 
> 
> Thank you. Thank you for every kudos, every comment and for taking the time to read this. 
> 
> There are more notes at the end of the chapter.

Percival paced outside the door to where the healers had completely surrounded you.

“Sir?” He turned to see Goldstein, and he gave her a small smile and then did something that a few months ago would have been completely out of character. He opened his arms.

She looked relieved as she rushed to him and hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry director, I’m so sorry about....everything. I failed you, and I don’t know...”

Percival held her out at arms length, “Tina stop. You did nothing wrong. I heard them talking, Grindelwald had a notice me not spell over himself. Any doubts you had about him actually being me would have been struck from your mind almost as soon as you thought of them. There is nothing you could have done.”

Newt stood back a bit and nodded his head. He knew instinctively that that must have been the case. Grindelwald moved with confidence in Graves’s body, but did not have his grace or power. There was a noticeable difference.

“This is Newt Scamander Sir,” Tina pulled Newt forward by the hand. 

Percival reached out and shook the red headed man’s hand. “Thank you Newt, I don’t think Seraphina would have allowed me to bring her here without your persistence.”

“Yes, well the President doesn’t seem very fond of my view on muggles.”

Percival snorted at that, “yeah no one here is very opened minded when it comes to non-magic folk. Myself included until....recent events.”

Percival’s head snapped up when the door opened, and the head of the healing department walked over to him.

“Is she?...”

“She’s alive sir,” the woman said, placing a hand on his arm. “Barely, but she’s fighting.”

Percival nodded, and wiped a hand down his face. He swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. “What was it?”

The healer gave him a sad look, “to be honest, we aren’t completely sure sir. It seems to be some kind of curse similar to a killing curse, but less potent. You did the right thing by bringing her here, she never would have survived without us.”

She paused, as if she wasn’t sure she should continue or not. “I’m sure there will be....consequences for what’s happened. But I just want you to know, that if there are questions, I am prepared to stand at your side. My husband...” she looked around as if to make sure no one else could hear her. “His parents are no-maj’s. He’s not allowed to tell them much of anything about our life. It’s difficult. I can tell she means a lot to you Sir, and I am prepared to help you defend her.” She finished, her eyes filling with tears.

Graves nodded at the woman, wiping his own eyes. “Thank you.” He whispered, and she nodded before turning back to the room.

“I’ll let you in to be with her, just as soon as she’s stable enough.”

He nodded again, and slumped into the wall behind him.

“Percival?” Seraphina’s voice made his stomach churn, “can you come into my office. We need to do a debriefing before the details get lost.”

“Can it wait?” He asked, not looking at her.

“I think you know the answer to that one.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, and followed her in silence down the long hall that lead into her office.

“You look tired, when we are done, maybe you should go home and get some sleep.”

He snorted at that. “Home? What home Sera?”

“We kept your apartment, everything is in a stasis charm. It will be the same as before you..”

“Before I what?” He met her eyes now, daring her to say it out loud.

“Percival...” her voice broke, and he immediately felt guilty as she began to cry. “I’m so sorry.” She sobbed. “I wouldn’t blame you if you never forgave me.”

“Piquery, don’t be stupid,” he walked around her desk and took her into his arms. “Sorry I’m being a jerk, but none of this is your fault. None of it. I’m just... frustrated.”

“You love her.” It was a statement, not a question. And she didn’t raise her head from where it rested on his shoulder.

“I do.” He whispered. “More than I ever thought possible for me.” He knew the words would sting, but he had to be honest with her.

“You love her more than me?” She almost sounded like a child, and Percival lifted her chin to meet her eyes.

“I love her different than you.” He paused at the broken look in her eye. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head, and wiped at her tears. “No Director, I’m sorry. That was... very unprofessional.”

“Sera...”

She raised a hand, “I understand Percival, I do. I just... missed you so damn much and I didn’t even realize it until I saw you alive and well today.” She wiped at her eyes, and stood up straight, looking every bit the president she was.

“Have a seat director.” She said, her tone telling him that she was done with sentiment.

He walked back around the desk and seated himself in the chair before her. 

“Start at the beginning, and tell me everything.”

He met her eyes, and nodded, unsure if he was really going to do that. She recognized the expression immediately.

“I’m serious Graves. Every. Detail.”

He nodded again in resignation, and started from the beginning. 

———————————————-

You could hear voices, LOUD voices. You tried to open your eyes, but found you couldn’t do it.

“No, it’s not happening.” That was Percival, you knew it immediately.

“Please Percy, the sooner we do it, the better off all of this will be. If we perform the spell now, she can wake in her own bed having no memory of anything that took place.”

“And what of the town we live in Sera! They’ve met me! I’ve been living there for months. Are you going to obliviate the entire town?”

“It wouldn’t’ be the first time.” She muttered under her breath.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

You tried to speak, but found you couldn’t move your lips, you tried to move, but felt completely paralyzed from the neck down. Frankly, you were starting to panic.

You started to hear loud beeping noises.

“What is it?” Percival again, you almost sighed with relief when you felt him take your hand. 

“She seems to be experiencing some stress.” A new woman’s voice spoke softly. “She can hear you director, the spell is just a stasis spell to keep her still, her ears are still perfectly capable.”

She almost sounded like she was scolding Percival, and he sighed. “I’m sorry love.” He whispered near your ear. “Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be okay.”

The beeping slowed and came to a stop as the new woman muttered words you couldn’t understand. 

Your body began to tingle. It started at your toes, and worked its way up your body.

“You can move now,” she said softly into your ear. “But try to keep as still as possible for as long as you can.”

You tried to nod, and felt your neck muscles strain but were able to communicate that you understood.

“Can she open her eyes?” Percival’s voice was raspy and quiet. He sounded so...defeated.

“If she tries. It might take her a while Director.”

“It’s fine, I’m not going anywhere.” You felt his lips brush your fingers, and the weight of his head as he rested it on your hand.

“Percy,” the first voice spoke, she almost sounded like she was pleading.

“Get out Sera,” he said it firmly but softly. “Please,” he added at the end, and you heard rustling as the woman seemed to leave the room.

You fought to open your eyes, you just wanted to see his face. To tell him all the things you couldn’t say after you had been struck. You managed to barely lift your eyelids, and whisper. “Perc...”

You felt him stand and kiss you on the forehead, brushing your hair back. “Shhh, it’s alright. Just rest okay,” he kissed you again on your eyelids and nose and softly on your lips.

You tried to nod, but were unsure if you actually did before you let the darkness claim you again.

The next time you felt conscious you opened your eyes far more easily, and that almost made you panic until you realized the blackness was because it was night and the entire room was shrouded in dark.

You felt him still holding your left hand, you turned your head as best as you could to see that the bed was big enough that he laid at your side. He was fast asleep, and it calmed you to hear his long slow breaths.

You moved some of your other muscles, just testing your pain level. It wasn’t until you tried to roll toward him that the sharp reality of the aftermath of the spell hit you. You fought down a scream, but didn’t manage to cover the whimper that escaped your lips.

Percival’s eyes snapped open like you had actually cried out. He leaned onto his arm, letting his other hand rest on your cheek.

“Breathe love, just breathe.”

You shut your eyes, nodded, and concentrated on taking slow deliberate breaths. “Sorry.” You whispered. “Just a bit more painful than I was expecting I guess.”

He nodded, and smiled at you and you felt tears slip from your eyes. “I never thought I would see your face again.” You cried softly and raised your arm to run your fingers through the hair that had fallen into his eyes. “Thought I’d never get to tell you...”

“I know,” he whispered, leaning over you carefully and kissing your tears away. “It’s okay, I’m here. You can tell me everything and anything, but first you need to rest a bit more.”

You shook your head, “I’m not tired.” And were surprised when you realized it was true. “But you are.” You continued running your fingers against his scalp, the dark circles under his eyes saying more than his words.

“It has been quite an eventful couple of days.” He responded.

You were surprised, “how long have I been here?” You asked, feeling as though everything happened just hours before. 

“Tomorrow will be day three, but it doesn’t matter. You’re alive, that is all I care about right now.”

He pulled a pillow nearer to you and rested his head, placing another kiss on your shoulder. 

His eyes drifted closed again, and you knew you should just let him sleep. But you couldn’t. The words you heard earlier, or maybe even the day before kept running through your head.

“Percy?” You asked softly, thinking if he really had fallen asleep you would let it drop for now.

“Hm?” He answered, not opening his eyes.

“What does obliviate mean?”

You felt him stop breathing. It was only seconds, but felt like hours. “Where did you hear that word?” He finally spoke after exhaling the breath he had been holding.

“Sera, I think you called her. She said it a few times.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.” He responded, and the bit of anger you heard in his voice was unmistakable. “I’m not going to let that happen.”

“But what is it?” You pressed, you were afraid and knew you wouldn’t be able to rest soundly without knowing what was going on.

“It means they want to cast a spell on you that will make you forget.” He sat back up on his arm, and placed a hand on your cheek.

You felt your heart start to pound, and it made your chest hurt. “Forget what?” You fought saying the words, not wanting to ask, knowing instinctively what he was going to say.

“Everything. Magic, this place, the people you’ve encountered. Me.” He finished quietly, and you fought to sit up crying out at the pain.

“No. No no no no, they can’t do that.” You grunted as he lowered you back down.

“Madelyn!” He shouted, and a woman wearing a long white robe ran toward you, you immediately recognized her voice from earlier.

“What happened?” She asked, raising her wand above you and speaking what sounded like Latin as you felt your body go weak and you once again laid still.

“She had questions. About. About...” he couldn’t finish the sentence, he didn’t have to.

“I understand.” She stated, and leaned over you. “I need you to listen to me, do you understand?”

You blinked a few times as you were once again unable to move your head, or speak.

“I’ve put the stasis spell back in place. You have GOT to hold as still as you can. The spell hit you very close to your heart, and as of this afternoon the after effects were just starting to fade. You need at least another twelve hours before you can sit up. Blink twice if you understand.”

You blinked twice very deliberately. 

“Do you want me to remove the spell again?” 

You blinked twice again, quicker to respond this time.

“Then you need to assure me that you will lay as still as you can. You can move your arms, but you will not try and sit up.” She waved her wand over your head, and you felt your lips tingle.

“I promise.” You answered.

“Very well.” She waved the wand again, and you felt your body being released from the spell. “Director, I understand how complicated things are right now. But I did allow you to stay here, even letting you alter one of my beds, with the assurance that you would keep her safe.”

“I know Madelyn, I’m sorry.”

“It was my fault.” You defended him quickly. “I pressed him to tell me, and then I reacted without thinking. It won’t happen again.”

She nodded, “good.” Was her only response as she rushed away seemingly to another patient who was behind a set of heavy curtains. 

Percival stood and closed the drapes that rested around your bed, and then he sat at your side and took your hand. 

“I don’t want you to worry about this.” He reaches up and brushed your hair softly off of your face, tucking it carefully behind your ear. “I’m going to take care of it. I’m not going to leave you. Ever. Do you trust me?”

You nodded. “I love you.” The words caught in your throat and came out in a bit of a whimper. “If they take me....”

“Stop,” he laid a finger over your lips. You reached up and grabbed his hand laying a kiss on his palm. 

“Just let me speak Percival.” You clasped his fingers tightly and swallowed. “IF they take me. I want you to remember that I will ALWAYS love you. I don’t care what they think they can remove from me, they will never be able to take that away. It will be you that I belong to until the day I die.”

“Mine,” He whispered a single tear running down his cheek. 

“Yours.” You kissed his fingers again. “Forever.”

He just nodded and leaned forward to kiss you. 

—————————————————

The argument went on for what felt like hours. Percival sat in Seraphina’s office, Scamander and Goldstein at his side. 

The nurses had allowed you to sit up when you woke in the morning, and they were planning on having you walking by midday. Percival glanced at a clock on the wall, he was growing more and more impatient with this whole thing. 

“I need something very simple from you.” Seraphina folded her hands and rested them on her desk as she leaned forward slightly. 

“I need you to explain to me how the director of MACUSA is going to be with a no-maj and still be upholding the law he himself helps govern.”

Percival swallowed thickly, he’d been avoiding this for as long as he could. But he couldn’t dance around it any longer. “I’m not coming back.” He said simply, looking up and meeting the president’s eyes. 

You could have heard a pin drop. No one even breathed. 

“Sir?” Goldstein’s small voice sounded to his left. 

“What does that mean Graves? What are you saying?” He didn’t miss the sound of desperation that leaked into Seraphina’s voice. 

“I’m sorry,” he hated to begin with an apology. It felt weak. But it also felt like they deserved it. “I’m not staying here in New York. I’m going back home. With... her.”

“Are you resigning your post director?” She said it through gritted teeth. He could sense the fear and anger coming from her. 

“Sera, please try and understand..”

“I asked you a question Director Graves.” Her eyes flickered with what felt like a dare. 

“Yes. I am resigning my post.”

The audible gasp that came from Tina was overpowered by the almost whimper that fell from Seraphina’s lips. 

“I...I can’t..” Sera’s voice stammered as she got to her feet. “Explain. Tell me how you thought this was going to proceed?”

Percival looked down at his hands for a moment before meeting his old friend’s eyes. “I’m going to leave here with her, take her home, and you are going to tell everyone here that I am dead. They all think I am anyway, right?”

Seraphina snorted softly. “Because it’s just that easy? What of the statute of secrecy Percival? What of the people who have SEEN you in the last few days?”

This time he had more trouble meeting her firm gaze. “Obliviate us Sera. There are only a few people who have actually laid eyes on me other than the three people in this room. Obliviate the others.”

He paused before he continued, “including y/n and....me.”

“No!” Tina’s voice rang out for the first time and she also got to her feet. 

“You’ve got to be kidding Graves.” Seraphina raised a hand to her face.

“From what I’ve been told, you were obliviated almost literally to your death. And yet...” she held her arms out. “Here we are. At the risk of increasing the size of your already large ego, you are too powerful for anything like that to hold you for long. It’s just not possible.”

“Then I’ll reach out to you when I remember, and you can come and do it again. Don’t you see Seraphina, I’m not happy here. I never was. But there... She makes me happy and I love my life there.”

He saw the pain he caused immediately, her eyes were glassy with tears, but to her credit she didn’t let them fall. 

“You have to know.” She paused and cleared her throat before continuing. “How impossible all of this is. You’re not stupid Percival, nor are you ignorant of our laws. Our LIVES. you would be asking me, no, US.” She gestured around herself and he knew what she meant. “All of us to sacrifice everything. For you.”

Percival honestly had no response for what she was saying. She wasn’t wrong, well, maybe a little dramatic, but not completely wrong. 

“Excuse me,” a small stammering voice rose from the back of the room. Percival looked over his shoulder, he’d almost forgotten the man was even there. 

“Yes Mr. Scamander?” Seraphina’s voice had a bit of a tone that dared him to continue at his own peril. 

“I... I just had a few questions I thought might be pertinent to.. you know... ask?” He tipped his head down, his long fringe hanging in his eyes. 

“What is it Newt?” Tina asked softly, urging him to continue. 

He raised his eyes to meet Percival’s. “Did you use your magic? While you were there? I mean, obviously you did as that is how they found you. But did you use it openly, where others could see?”

Percival gave a short laugh, “of course not.”

“And, how many exactly,” he got to his feet and stood in front of Percival. “People that is, how many people knew what you could do?”

Percival shook his head, “just one. And I would probably have kept it from her, had I known what the hell was happening to me. But it took a while before my memories came back.”

Newt nodded, and twisted his hands around his wand nervously. “And tell me Director, how long did you go without using any magic?”

Percival shrugged, “I’m not certain exactly. But I would say a few weeks at least. The problem was..” Percival paused, and Newt nodded for him to continue. 

“I found the longer I went without using magic, I had certain... side effects.”

Newt looked at the women in the room, his expression knowing. “What kind of side effects?” He asked, not looking at Percival any longer. 

“Um, headaches mostly. But occasional bursts of uncontrolled magic also took place. It was how I realized that something was wrong in the first place.”

Newt didn’t take his eyes off of Seraphina and Tina, and Percival was confused when the three of them shared a look. 

“Does this sound familiar to anyone else?” Newt whispered softly and Seraphina nodded. 

“Credence,” Tina whispered. 

The air in the room stood still. “Credence Barebone? What about Credence?” Percival looked up at them, and Newt was the only one who met his gaze. “Madam President? Auror Goldstein? What about Credence?”

“Tell me Director,” Newt spoke softly, “do you know what an obscurus is?”

————————————————-

Percival leaned back in his chair, running his hands through his hair and down his face. The story they told was equally terrifying and infuriating.

“So, is he...?” He left the question unfinished as he saw Tina shake her head. 

“To be honest sir, we don’t know. Word is, that he is still alive. But no one has seen him since that day in the subway.”

Percival cursed under his breath. “This is all my fault.” 

“How could any of this be your fault Percival? You weren’t even here when it took place.” Sera sat at her desk, leaning forward her hands clasped in front of her. 

Percival closed his eyes, “because I knew. Well, I mean I had my suspicions as to what was happening, but I told no one and did nothing to stop it.”

“Stop Percival,” Seraphina raised a hand at him. “I’m afraid you don’t get to take all the credit for this one. We all failed Credence in our own way, just like we failed you.”

The room fell deathly silent for a few moments as everyone seemed to process their own responsibility in the situation. 

It was Newt who spoke first. 

“For what it’s worth, I’m not sure there is anything anyone could have done. The fact that the boy survived to the age he did was a miracle. Without one of you catching it when he was very young, nothing could have been changed. The process had already begun.”

“And now... we’ll never know.” Seraphina sighed and looked at her friend. Her eyes were sad and tired, and Percival’s looked the same. 

“So,” she continued, “tell me what to do Graves. How do we fix this?” 

Percival shrugged, but didn’t meet her gaze or offer a response. 

“There is one way, if you’ll allow it.” Newt’s soft voice broke the silence again. 

He moved forward and placed a hand on Percival’s shoulder. 

“They get married. Here. Now. And then return to their life as legally wedded husband and wife.” 

No one spoke, so Newt took that as a queue to continue. 

“If you were to perform the ceremony Madam President, a magical marriage bond could create a binding contract. Of sorts.” 

Percival’s head shot up at Newt’s words. “Is that true? Is this even possible?” He looked from Newt to Sera but her expression was unreadable. 

“I don’t know about here, but I have many magical acquaintances who are married to muggles, or Muggleborns. As long as the statutes are kept, it’s not an issue.” Newt made it sound so... simple. 

Tina waited a moment, but when Piquery didn’t respond she spoke up. “It’s a good solution ma’am. As Percival’s wife, she would technically become a member of our society and could be required to make an Unbreakable Vow, much like we do with no-maj parents when they have a magical child.”

“Wait a second,” Percival waved his hands, “an Unbreakable Vow? No Goldstein. I’m not asking her to do that.”

“I’ll do it.” Your voice rang out across the office from the doorway, where your nurse stood at your side holding you up. “Whatever that is, if it means we can be together, I’ll do it.”

Percival looked over his shoulder, his expression softened upon seeing you up on your feet. 

“I’m sorry Madam President,” Madelyn looked around the room, “we did knock. I guess you were just...busy.”

Seraphina waved a hand at her, “it’s fine, just bring her in and close the door please.”

“From the other side,” she added with a raised eyebrow, and Madelyn nodded her assent. 

Percival rose quickly from his chair and moved to take your arm. He practically carried you back to the chair, and you chuckled softly as you sat. “I’m not made of glass Percival. Now someone explain what’s going on here.”

The room remained silent, Percival stood behind you his hands resting on your shoulders, his fingers winding their way into your hair softly. 

“Wow, that bad huh?” You added when no one moved to speak. “Okay, I guess I’ll begin. I didn’t hear the whole conversation, but what I did hear was that there is a possibility that Percival and I can stay together, yes?”

Seraphina shook her head, “yes, but I’m not sold on the whole idea honestly.”

“Do we have any other options? Outside of me forgetting him, I mean.” You finished the sentence, but felt bile rise in your throat at the thought.

Seraphina shook her head, and ran a hand over her brow. “Graves you are putting me in the middle of an impossible situation. If you would just...”

She didn’t get to finish her response. 

“I’m going to say this once and once only.” Percival moved around the chair, and leaned forward, his hands resting on Seraphina’s desk. “I’m leaving this place Sera, and if she’ll have me,” He turned his face back to yours, “I’m going to marry this woman.”

He turned back to her, “whether I leave here being obliviated along with her or not is up to you.”

They stared into each other’s eyes from across her desk. Neither of them flinching, as if it was all some kind of game of truth or dare. 

Percival gave in first, another clue into how changed he truly was. “Please Sera. You have to let me go.” He said it softly, and her gaze dropped to her desk.

“Under the circumstances,” Newt interjected quietly, “obliviating you would be a bad idea Director. Your unused magic could become volatile, even dangerous. We all watched it happen with Credence.”

“The Unbreakable Vow then,” Tina interrupted. “If she chooses to marry him, she takes the vow, and they promise to live quietly, and without magic, as much as possible of course.”

“I’ll do it. There is nothing I want more than to marry him. And as far as the Vow thing, I’ll do that too. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.” Your response was immediate, there were no second thoughts. 

Percival turned from Seraphina and knelt in front of you, taking your hands. “Love, I....” tears welled in his eyes, and he laid a hand on your cheek. “You would marry me? You would do all this willingly? Just like that?”

“Try and stop me Graves.” You whispered as you leaned forward kissing him softly.

“And the Vow?” Seraphina looked down at you with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course.” You nodded simply. 

Percival shook his head, “no love, it’s too dangerous.”

Newt moved to stand next to you and crouched at your side so he could see your face. “Making an Unbreakable Vow is not something to be done lightly. You will Vow to never reveal to anyone, anything about the magical world. And if you break the Vow...”

“I die.” You finished the statement for him, you knew it had to be something like that. He gave you a slight nod, your eyes met Percival’s and you reached up to smooth his furrowed brow with your fingertips. 

You glanced around the room, seemingly surrounded by faces with nervous expressions. You sat up straight and took Percival’s hand. “When do we begin?” 

——————————————————————

In less than twenty-four hours Newt Scamander walked you down a tiny aisle in the MACUSA office, and placed your hand in Percival’s.

Seraphina Piquery performed a short ceremony, including the binding contract of the Unbreakable Vow. She had asked to speak to you alone the night before, and explained at length about what all this meant. 

After spending a few hours together, you had far more insight into her feelings on the entire situation, and by the end the two of you had come to an understanding. 

You would take good care of Percival, love him until your dying day, and make the vow to keep the magical world a secret, and Seraphina would perform the ceremony. 

In the end, you weren’t best friends by any means, but she seemed to warm to you enough to admit that she wanted Percival to be happy and she was confident you could provide that. 

He glowed as he slipped a simple gold band on your finger, and you laughed through your tears when he kissed you, and Newt, Tina and Madelyn cheered. 

The magical world of North America was told nothing of your story in the beginning. 

They knew only that the real Percival Graves was alive, and had decided to retire and live a quiet life instead of that of the MACUSA Director.

No one knew where you were. How you lived. How blissfully happy you were together. 

No one but Seraphina, Tina and Newt. 

Until twelve years later. 

When your son Percival Newton Graves got his letter of acceptance to Ilvermorny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one glaring thing I regret about this story. 
> 
> Originally this story was going to be an ofc named Sophia. I changed it to a reader story, and frankly have regretted it. 
> 
> In order to possibly continue with these characters, this story may receive a makeover to revert it to my original story idea. 
> 
> Please give me a follow if you are interested in seeing what I have planned. 
> 
> Thank you!


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